• 01
  • June
    2010

Traffic was heavy in San Diego County over the weekend, with thousands traveling to and from the city to spend Memorial Day weekend with family and friends. City officials and police officers, anticipating the increased volume of people and vehicles, put out bulletins and released tips for enjoying the weekend safely.

Still, even the best laid plans cannot prevent all accidents, as was proved by the fatal accident involving a bicyclist in Oceanside on Friday night.

Just before midnight on Friday, 21-year-old Angel Escobedo attempted to cross several lanes of traffic on North River Road. Authorities believe that Escobedo turned into oncoming traffic, advertently or inadvertently, and was struck by an oncoming vehicle. After the car accident, Escobedo was rushed to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido, where he failed to recover and was declared brain dead early on Saturday morning.

It is very important for bicycle rider and motorists, whether it is a holiday weekend or not, to be aware and alert on the road. The driver has not been charged in this case and, for now, that option does not really seem to be in play.

While most car accidents involving bicycles in San Diego seem to revolve around driver negligence, there are plenty of steps bikers can take to conduct themselves in a safe manner.

  • If riding your bicycle at night, especially if you are riding on or near busy roads, it is essential that you have a light on your bike and are wearing reflective gear. If a car cannot see you, it will be hard for them to stop in time.
  • Make sure there are no cars coming before you attempt to cross roads. This seems obvious, but don't assume you will be seen, whether or not you have the right of way.
  • Wear proper safety gear, i.e. wear a helmet! While not a failsafe plan, a helmet will go a long way towards preventing brain injury should you be involved in a car accident.

If anything, this tragedy should prompt both bicycle riders and motorists to take a closer look at how they are conducting themselves and, hopefully, make changes for the better.

Related Resource