Second cyclist death in 3 months bringing attention to bike safety

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Earlier this week, a bicyclist died after being hit by a car in Wilmington.

That kind of crash is bringing more attention to bike safety.

On Tuesday, August 15th, 72-year-old Raymond Holmes Malone Jr died from injuries suffered when he was hit by a car while riding a bicycle.

Malone was hit while attempting to cross Randall Parkway near Brailsford Road.

He was on his bike in a crosswalk at the time.

Tammy Swanson, an instructor for the League of American Bicyclists, said safety doesn’t just depend on motor vehicle drivers giving cyclists their space, but also on cyclists being aware of their surroundings and what laws they must follow.

“We need to share the road,” Swanson said. “I think everybody needs to respect each other. As a cyclist, we need to stay where we belong, we need to be respectful, we need to not pull out in front of other drivers or motor vehicles, we need to stay on the right side, we need to respect pedestrians on trails we use, we need to pay attention.”

Malone was the second cyclist death in recent months as another person was killed back in May.

Eileen McConville is the president of the Terry Benjey Bicycling Foundation.

She said these deaths are part of a concerning trend in recent years.

“Unfortunately, these two in our community are not rare,” McConville said. “It is indicative of the fact that in 2021, there was a significant increase in bicyclist deaths in the United States of America. The numbers going up, not down. And, it’s not only more of a proliferation of people riding bicycles, it’s also more distracted driving. Put down the phone!!”

Swanson also said it’s important for both cyclists and drivers to remember that when someone is on a bike, it is considered a vehicle, and they must follow the same traffic laws as cars and trucks.