The Traffic Accident Reconstruction Origin -ARnews-

Re: Bicycle vs. Car Area of Impact

Rod Macdonald ([email protected])
Sun, 22 Nov 1998 13:19:07 -0500 (EST)

depends on what "low speed" is. the bicycle's light enough that any significant "backwards" movement is going to be a result of it's having aquired it from the car - rather than 'bouncing' off and away of it's own accord - though to see it it may appear that way.

Gouging from the bicycle being struck and dragged by the vehicle should be obviously distinct from gouging or scrapes from the bicycle tumbling on it's own.

In a couple bike of the collisions where I've been fortunate enough to have lot's of good evidence, I've noticed that post-impact gouging can begin a significant distance from tire scuff at the (approximate)point of impact. Certainly the distance would be a function of impact speed, the configuration of the collision, and the sizes of the bicycle and rider, but I've got one right here - head on, vehicle impact speed in the high 20's to low 30's (mph), gouges begin nearly 26 feet after the tire scuff at impact, and in the lane to right of where the impact actually occured.

Absent a fine job of preserving and documenting evidence by the on-scene Deputy- even in the midst of his having to provide first aid, secure the scene, direct traffic and coordinate an emergency response (darn, I'm good...), it could easily have been inferred that the vehicle veered towards the bicyclist to strike him.

So it's a possible scenario - with the caveat that you don't give enough detail in your post, and may not have enough evidence in your case, to say that it's possible for your case. You're at the mercy of what the on-scene may or may not have found and documented, and he may have documented it all.

Hint: always look under the fire trucks and the responding supervisor's car.


Rod Macdonald
[email protected]

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