CLEVELAND — With summer around the corner putting cyclists are back on the roads, one Westlake resident is concerned about the shared space between bikes and cars. 

What You Need To Know

  • May is National Bike Safety Month

  • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said injuries from bike-car collisions are most serious

  • In 2019, 846 cyclists were killed in traffic crashes 

A car recently hit Jenn Hill's son, Ryan, while on his bike. Although his only injury was a bruised shoulder, Hill said it would have been much worse if he was not wearing his helmet. 

“The one thing everyone in the hospital repeated to him over and over again was that the helmet saved his life,” Hill said. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports collisions with vehicles are the most serious of bike accidents and that a properly fitted helmet is one of many precautions bikers can take to minimize injuries. 

Cyclists are required to follow all the rules of the road as motorists, using proper turn signals, riding on the right side of the road and signaling when passing. 

Hill hopes her son's accident can serve as a reminder to drivers to stay focused and be mindful of the potential consequences of taking your eyes off the road, if only for a moment. 

 “I think what upset me most about that whole situation was the lady who called to report the accident said, ‘Well, there was no damage to my car.’ Okay, but it’s a car. There was damage to the human being you hit," Hill said. "They are kids, they’re moms, they’re dads, they’re people just out trying to enjoy their lives and be outside."