Car hits pedelec rider
Crossing a country road
Sequence of events:
A 78-year-old pedelec rider and her husband, who was also on a pedelec, wanted to cross a country road. Having reached the road, they initially stopped to check for traffic. While her husband waited, the pedelec rider rode on and was hit by a car coming from the right at high speed, which had right of way. The pedelec rider was landed on the hood of the car, and her shoulder and head broke through the car’s windshield. The pedelec became entangled with the front of the car and was dragged along with it. As the incident continued, the car veered off the right-hand side of the road and crashed into a tree trunk. This impact threw the pedelec rider off the car, whereupon she flew forward and landed in her final position.
A 78-year-old pedelec rider and her husband, who was also on a pedelec, wanted to cross a country road. Having reached the road, they initially stopped to check for traffic. While her husband waited, the pedelec rider rode on and was hit by a car coming from the right at high speed, which had right of way. The pedelec rider was landed on the hood of the car, and her shoulder and head broke through the car’s windshield. The pedelec became entangled with the front of the car and was dragged along with it. As the incident continued, the car veered off the right-hand side of the road and crashed into a tree trunk. This impact threw the pedelec rider off the car, whereupon she flew forward and landed in her final position.
Persons involved in the accident:
One pedelec rider and one car driver
One pedelec rider and one car driver
Consequences/injuries:
The pedelec rider suffered fatal injuries and died atthe scene of the accident. The car driver was severely injured.
The pedelec rider suffered fatal injuries and died atthe scene of the accident. The car driver was severely injured.
Cause/problem:
The cause of the accident was a miscalculation of the traffic situation on the part of the pedelec rider. The pedelec rider rode into the danger zone – the lane in which the car was driving – approximately one second before the collision. The investigation also revealed that the car driver was traveling at a speed of between 75 and 85 km/h instead of the local 70 km/h speed limit.
The cause of the accident was a miscalculation of the traffic situation on the part of the pedelec rider. The pedelec rider rode into the danger zone – the lane in which the car was driving – approximately one second before the collision. The investigation also revealed that the car driver was traveling at a speed of between 75 and 85 km/h instead of the local 70 km/h speed limit.
Avoidance measures, mitigation of consequences/ strategy for road safety measures:
The accident could have been prevented if the pedelec rider had reacted to the car coming from her right and waited accordingly. The car driver would not have been able to prevent the collision by keeping to the local speed limit. However, observing the speed limit would have enabled him to completely prevent the subsequent collision with the tree. Accordingly, this would also have significantly reduced the risk of injury to the car driver.
The accident could have been prevented if the pedelec rider had reacted to the car coming from her right and waited accordingly. The car driver would not have been able to prevent the collision by keeping to the local speed limit. However, observing the speed limit would have enabled him to completely prevent the subsequent collision with the tree. Accordingly, this would also have significantly reduced the risk of injury to the car driver.