Wednesday, February 09, 2011 By Tanya Mardirossian RIDING: Junior Dillen Maurer rides his bike during a marathon. Maurer has been biking for four years and has been involved in three major accidents in the past. - Courtesy of Dillen Maurer Advertising Student victimized in collision (Feb. 9, 2011) -- “I was at the intersection of Honolulu and Ramsdell when a car made a right turn and hit me,” said junior Dillen Maurer calmly. “It was Friday, January 14th, on my way home from school when it happened,” said Maurer, who isn’t the only cyclist to have recorded an accident on La Crescenta’s and Glendale’s streets. According to Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, the number of accidents has been decreasing since the Crescenta Valley Town Council began sponsoring the creation of bike lanes on street sides and at crosswalk intersections since early 2010. This was done in accordance with the Glendale Safe and Healthy Streets Plan, which encourages safe walking and biking on the streets of Glendale. According to the Los Angeles Times, pavements have been redone all over La Crescenta — on New York, Lowell and Pennsylvania Avenues, and Foothill Blvd. Safe driving requires devotion and responsibility. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), it takes about 40 years to be considered a safe drive. However, older drivers are more likely to make careless driving errors, thinking they have better reflexes and more experience. Maurer’s case is somewhat different. “The lady who hit me was probably in her fifties, and she didn’t have her turn signal on,” he said. Drivers aren’t always at fault. Pedestrians usually get into unnecessary accidents for not being cautious with traffic, and the same applies for drivers not noticing oncoming traffic or pedestrians. According to the AAA, the reason for drivers and pedestrians not being aware of traffic activities is most likely distractions from cellular devices and other electronics. Something as simple as having earphones in your ears with loud music can be distracting, whether you are a driver or pedestrian. Maurer was lucky for not having life-threatening injuries. “I have a fractured sternum and rib joints, and I sprained my left shoulder and ankle,” he said. The damage to his bike was unavoidable as well. Maurer said the bike has many scratches, and the front wheel is bent. Safety experts note that bike equipment can help cyclists avoid collisions. Gear such as horns and headlights are tools that can alert a automobile driver to the presence of cyclists on the street, just like a car has lights and a horn. Hand signals are important for cyclists when making turns and going straight, as cars should always signal before turning. If a person is in a collision, it is important to stay calm until help is provided, experts say. “A witness called an ambulance. I called my dad and said ‘I just got hit by a car,’” Maurer said. He added that the driver seemed confused about the whole mess; however, she will be paying for damages, as Maurer filed a police report.

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