Footage of a cyclist being crashed by a Ford Explorer patrol vehicle has found its way online, showing the police officer being distracted by his phone while executing a left turn.
The video was captured by the cyclist’s helmet camera and then uploaded by himself online. Luckily, the bicyclist walked away with only bruises, but like he says, his ride is “most likely toast”.
The local police officer assumed responsibility for the accident instantly, admitting that he was checking his phone instead of looking where he was going.
The cop then called in the Missouri state police to come down and report on the crash, as he couldn’t do it himself due to conflict of interest. The cyclist was checked out by paramedics and refused to go to the ER while the officer took a breathalyzer and urine test.
According to NHTSA, a staggering 3,450 people were killed from distracted driving in 2016, while it’s estimated that 481,000 drivers are using mobile phones while driving.
Studies found that sending or reading a text takes the driver’s eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55mph or about 90km/h, this equates to driving the length of an entire football field with the driver’s eyes closed.
Stay safe out there.