Triathlete Injured in Key Biscayne Car Accident During Bicycling Phase of Race
Recently stumbled upon an article that was reported in 2009, and decided to write about it. A man participating in the Mack Cycle Key Biscayne Triathlon Trilogy sustained a concussion and a torn knee in a bicycle accident with a car, the report stated. Miguel Tellez was leading a pack of bicyclists across the Rickenbacker Causeway Bridge when a car pulled into his path, the newspaper said. Fortunately, the resulting accident resulted in only moderate injuries. It was the second bicycle accident in Key Biscayne in that week, following closely on an accident involving Eduardo Lopez of Miami, the state kilo champion.
A triathlon has three parts: A foot race, a bicycle race and a swimming race. Tellez was struck during the 9.8-mile bicycle phase. According to fellow racer John Reback, Tellez was riding downhill at about 35 miles per hour when a car pulled in front of him. He “T-boned” the vehicle and flew into the air, sustaining a concussion, a deep cut to the head and a torn knee. The injuries were less severe than originally feared, race director Rob Childers said, but the accident took Tellez and about half of the other participants in the lead pack out of the race. The men’s portion was eventually won by Reinaldo Oliveira, a teammate to Tellez on the Runner’s Depot Racing Team, in 51:56. The women’s winner was Linda Neary Robb at 54:40.
As an Aventura bicycle accident lawyer, I’d say Childers is right -- the injuries could have been much worse. A collision between a bicycle and a car can be very serious even at slow speeds, because bicyclists don’t have much protection in a crash. That’s an especially important point to remember as we enter summer, when more people -- adults and children -- are likely to bicycle on Florida roads. As always, drivers should remember to share the road with bicyclists, which means yielding the right-of-way when appropriate and allowing them enough space to ride safely. And bicyclists should do their part by following traffic laws, yielding when appropriate and using safety gear like lights, reflective clothing and helmets.
Cohn, Smith & Cohn represents people throughout South Florida who have been seriously injured or lost a loved one in a bicycle accident caused by another person’s carelessness. Though most of our cases involve careless drivers in cars, trucks and SUVs, our Plantation bicycle accident attorneys also represent bicyclists hurt by poorly maintained roads, defective equipment and attacks by dogs and other domestic animals. In a Pompano Beach bicycle accident lawsuit, seriously injured rider can win the money they need to pay medical bills; replace expensive bicycles and equipment; make ends meet while they cannot work; and compensate them for a painful injury, permanent disability or wrongful death.
To learn more about your legal options at a free, confidential consultation, call Cohn, Smith & Cohn today at (954) 431-8100 or contact us online.
