Family members of fatal bike crash victims in East Austin, Texas, are still looking for answers, according to KXAN News (https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/family-asking-for-answers-a-month-after-east-austin-bike-crash-kills-their-loved-one/).
Just over a month has passed since a crash killed Merry Daye, who was the third victim of a fatal bicycle crash in 2019 on the Cameron-Dessau Road section in the East Austin area.
Recently, advocates of the Bike Austin group took a silent ride in honor of Daye. The family and friends of the 45-year-old woman were in attendance at the event, and they were part of an emotional tribute to the bike accident victim.
Merry Robertson, the victim’s mother, told the crowd that Daye is her child and will always be her child, and she feels her loss every single day and night. During the tribute event, Robertson fought to hold back her tears, and it was clear to all those present that the family was still in deep pain from the loss.
The 45-year-old was riding her bicycle in the designated bike lane at around 2:30 AM in Cameron Road’s 6000 block when, according to police, a silver Dodge Ram truck that was headed south hit her. At the time, she had stopped in the south-bound bike lane to address an issue with her bike.
Daye was transported to a nearby hospital, but was later pronounced dead. While police were able to find the 2014-model truck they are certain was involved, they emptied and processed it for evidence, but still have not identified the driver and are asking the public to come forward with any information they might have.
Ricardo Trevino, an avid cyclist who has been biking in the Austin area for more than three decades, was the organizer of the tribute on Saturday to Daye. It’s a hobby Trevino says he loves, but in the era of people being increasingly distracted behind the wheel, things have changed. He has been to four different silent bike rides for cyclists killed on the roads.
Chris Riley, a former Austin City Council member and the current president of Bike Austin, said that the city’s council has been calling for some protective bike lane measures since 2014. However, none of those measures have been put into place. This includes putting something similar to a fleet post alongside bike lanes.
In 2019 there were three deaths in the same area, including another woman in her 20s who was struck in the same block as Merry Daye. Shortly before Daye’s death, Bike Austin launched a survey asking for public opinion on bike lane safety measure implementation on Dessau and Cameron Roads, and the advocates say the city is going to use the survey results to help make their decision on the matter.
When a car meets a bike, it’s almost always the person on the bike who suffers the most. If you were the victim in an auto-bicycle collision, you have rights and might be entitled to compensation for your losses, suffering, and pain. Contact an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer, like a motorcycle accident lawyer in Denver, CO, about your case.
Thanks to the Law Office of Richard J. Banta, P.C. for their insight into an example of a motorcycle accident that resulted in death.