Harford County Bicyclist Driving Under the Influence

If a motorist is riding his vehicle on the public highways under the influence of alcohol and causes an accident, should he be arrested for  "driving under the influence"?  Should these same laws apply to an individual riding his bicycle on the public highways?  If motorists  are forced to share the roads with bicycles, then perhaps they should be held accountable for obeying the laws of the highways and the same penalties and consequences should apply.

In a recent Harford County accident, a 33 year old man was leaving a bar in Bel Air on his bicycle on Thursday, August 12, 2010, when he ran into a motor vehicle.  The bicyclist, Matthew Parker was flown to Maryland Shock Trauma for head injuries.  The injuries appeared not to be life-threatening.    

According to Bel Air Police Chief, Leo Matrangola, they suspect Mr. Parker was riding his bicycle under the influence of alcohol and charges are currently pending.  The question especially arises when the intoxicated bicyclist causes an injury to someone other than himself.  Bicyclists currently advocate for laws that provide safety for themselves.  However, due to their increasing numbers we should not ignore certain safety issues that now arise for the automobile driver.  Perhaps a law change should only apply to a bicyclist who causes an accident that leads to an injury of the automobile driver.

If you, a family member or someone you know has been involved in a bike accident or car accident or you need more information on car and bike accidents, please contact Portner & Shure for a free consultation with one of our Maryland personal injury lawyers.