Driver Hits University Cyclist, Auto Premiums Skyrocket

By: Jaime Lethrop, Car Insurance Guru
CheaperCarInsurance.com

The driver claims he didn’t even see the cyclist he hit

Auto premiums rise for many reasons, with accidents being the most common cause. Shortly after midnight last Thursday, a university student cycling through an intersection was hit by a black sedan. The student, Blake Thomas, was thrown over the vehicle and sustained internal injuries. He is currently in intensive care, though doctors say he will pull through.

The driver of the sedan, whose name has not been released, says he didn’t see the cyclist before he ran into him. A fellow student, with Thomas at the scene of the accident , said the driver was very upset and the police tried to calm him down. At this point, it isn’t certain who was at fault, but the driver’s auto premiums will be higher from now on.

What Went Wrong?

It’s hard enough to see potential obstacles at night and many drivers tend to become complacent after midnight, feeling that they are the only ones on the road. Unfortunately, that’s when many accidents occur. While in the case of Blake Thomas it isn’t clear who wasn’t paying attention, both the cyclist and the driver could have taken extra precautions to ensure proper visibility and to avoid the situation.

Fortunately, this time, the victims were not killed and Thomas is expected to make a full recovery, but the driver’s auto premiums will most certainly go up. Was it possible for him to avoid the accident? We’ll never know, but you can take some specific steps to ensure that you are safer when driving at night:

Always stop at intersections, even if there is nothing obvious coming
Make sure your headlights are optimally positioned for visibility
Never assume you’re alone on the road
Observe speed limits no matter the hour

While not all accidents are preventable, after all, that’s why they’re called accidents, many drivers could avoid potentially dangerous situations by simply stopping completely at intersections and taking a moment to notice if a cyclist or pedestrian is coming.

Auto Premiums on the Rise Due to Night Accidents

With 90% of cyclist deaths due to accidents involving motor vehicles, it’s not surprising that auto premiums are seeing an increase due to these collisions. While bicycles are difficult to see at night and the majority of fatal cyclist vs. car accidents occur at night (between 6pm and 6 am), these aren’t the only accidents happening after dark.

In fact, pedestrian accidents, frequently hit and runs, are also higher at night. Visibility is a definite factor in these accidents. In many cases, lowered visibility is combined with drinking… causing the rate of night accidents to go through the roof. And just one accident, fatal or not, can cause auto premiums to go up. A few stats on night driving: