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Tremont riders demand more bike lane awareness after crash

Posted at 7:40 AM, Sep 05, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-05 09:18:16-04

A crash involving a car and cyclist at W. 14 and Fairfield has some Tremont residents calling for more bike lane awareness on the part of drivers and bikers.

Marc Miller witnessed the Sept. 4 crash and said the biker, who was wearing a helmet, had the green light and was hit by a car trying to make a right turn on red.

Miller said the female cyclist was in the dedicated bike lane on W. 14 when she was hit broadside by the driver of the car.

"My wife is an E.R. nurse, so I immediately said holy crap, get out of the car she needs your help," said Miller.

"I saw it right in front of me, because I waited for her to cross the street."

The cyclist was taken to Metro Health Medical Center for her injuries.

Miller said bike lane issues and drivers not stopping at stop signs are a chronic problem in his Tremont neighborhood.

"My wife and I bike around Tremont, and we see people roll through these signs all the time. It is a problem," said Miller.

"Stop at the stop signs, it's easy, very simple.  Just stop, and a lot of people don't, and obviously, something like that can happen if you don't really stop and look both ways.  Check for bikers or motorcycles, or anything."

Witnesses at the scene told News 5 there was a similar car, bike accident on W. 14 earlier in the summer, at Starkweather Avenue.

Miller said it takes greater awareness on the part of drivers and bikers to make this work safely.

Police at the scene said it's still not clear what charges the driver of the vehicle will face.