Fatal Bicycle Accident in Ocean City Points to Precautions Every Maryland Cyclist Must Take

A tragic story of a bicycle rider killed in Ocean City, MD, recently came to light and it reminds us all of the inherent dangers that bike riders face when traveling on Maryland’s public roadways. The accident happened on Maryland’s Coastal Highway as a 23-year-old woman was having a relaxing summer ride. While pedaling her bike across a pedestrian crosswalk, Kristin Anne Stormer was hit and fatally injured by a truck traveling in one of the southbound lanes.

As Maryland motorcycle and bicycle accident lawyers, our firm has represented many individuals injured in car-bicycle and auto-motorcycle collisions. While the road in question has a posted speed limit of 35mph, even at that relatively low speed a small car cna cause serious injury or even kill a bicycle rider. Without knowing the specifics, it’s difficult to say if the truck driver was responsible for this woman’s sad and unfortunate death.

Summer is a great time to be out and about. But whether you’re riding a bicycle, a piloting a motorcycle or driving a car, even a relaxing trip along the coast must be done with a degree of caution. As motor vehicle operators and as bicycle riders, we all have a responsibility to follow the rules of the road. In this case, reports state that the woman may have been listening to an iPod while riding her bike. This is can be a dangerous activity for anyone operating a vehicle in traffic and it is actually illegal in Maryland.

According to reports, the driver of the truck had not yet been charged in relation to the accident, although an investigation was ongoing. Not long after this tragic event, another bicyclist was killed in an early-morning collision with a motor vehicle. The fatal crash happened on the Harry W. Kelley Memorial Bridge along Route 50 when a drunk driver plowed into two cyclists in an apparent hit-and-run accident. According to Maryland State Police, one of the cyclists, 41-year-old Edward Joseph Zisk, died at the scene as a result of his injuries.

In that incident, police reports indicate that the 34-year-old driver, Daniel Mathew Bren of Berlin, MD, hit the two bike riders from behind, then fled the scene in his 2006 Chevrolet Silverado. Police caught up with and arrested Bren shortly after the accident. He was charged with negligent homicide by motor vehicle while under the influence, driving under the influence of alcohol, and failing to remain at the scene of an accident involving the death of another.

These tragic incidents are a reminder to the rest of us that potential injury lurks around just about any corner. Whether you are a driver, a rider or a passenger in a vehicle, it pays to stay alert to potential dangers. If you or someone you love has been injured in an auto-related accident, we highly recommend that you seek the counsel of a qualified legal professional to handle your automobile accident, personal injury or wrongful death case.

Two cyclists die in resort roadway accidents, DelmarvaNow.com, June 30, 2009

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