Bus Accident Takes Cyclist Life in Olympic Park

A 28 year-old cyclist was killed Wednesday when a double decker bus struck him just outside the Olympic Games Main Press Center.

The bus driver a 68 year-old man, who was shuttling journalists, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

Even though there was criticism that London wasn’t ready for the Olympics prior to the games, numerous agencies promptly responded to the accident including police firefighters and ambulances.

Metropolitan police did not release the identity of the man, but said his family had been notified. They plan to conduct a thorough investigation Thursday. Meanwhile the bus driver has been released on bond.

For gold medal winning cyclist, Bradley Wiggins, the accident highlights the need for drivers and cyclist to share the roads. He also urged that helmets be mandatory for London cyclists.

“It’s dangerous, and London is a busy city, and a lot of traffic,” said Wiggins who won the Tour De France last month, “I think we have to help ourselves sometimes.”

In the U.S., 52,000 cyclists were injured in 2010, with 2 percent of those incidents resulting from a car crash, according to the NHTSB.  Over 6,000 cyclists are killed every year in the states.

Because cyclists don’t have the protection of a vehicle, they are vulnerable to head injuries, especially if they don’t wear helmets, and broken bones. The overall annual costs of cycling accident cost $4 billion. The cyclist who is injured by a careless driver can face thousands of dollars in medical bills, but an accident attorney can make certain they get the money needed to cover their medical care.