An eight-year-old boy died on the morning of Thursday, July 3 after being hit by a truck while riding his bike the previous evening. This is the second bicycle-related death this summer after a Boise cyclist was killed by a car on June 13.
Every year in Ada County there is at least one fatality, 15 severe injuries and 60 minor injuries in bicycle-vehicle collisions.
According to Sergeant Matt Konvalinka, most of these incidents occur during the “100 deadliest days of summer,” a period when traffic fatalities increase.
“We have a huge problem with driver inattention. Just the distractions in the vehicle. Cell phones are a huge problem,” said Konvalinka.
Josh Saak, the Traffic Engineering Supervisor at the Ada County Highway District, said these collisions can be avoided by driving predictably and following the rules of the road. He also said cyclists can avoid nighttime collisions by wearing lighter clothing and using head and tail lamps.
“They probably disproportionately happen more at night.”
Saak said bike lanes and pathways like the Greenbelt are important because they provide protection for cyclists.
