Teen riding bike dies after car runs into him on North Carolina highway, cops say
A teenager was thrown off his bike when a car ran into him in a deadly North Carolina crash, officials said.
The 14-year-old had been riding along a highway when an Audi driver going in the same direction hit him from behind on Thursday, Dec. 9, according to the N.C. State Highway Patrol.
Officials said the teen died at the scene of the crash, which happened at about 6:45 a.m. on N.C. State Highway 72. The area is near Lumberton and roughly 95 miles southwest of Raleigh.
The teen — who officials didn’t publicly identify — wasn’t wearing a helmet. His bike had reflective equipment, and he was riding in a “proper lane,” 1st Sgt. S. B. Lewis told McClatchy News in a phone interview.
State troopers said the Audi “failed to reduce its speed” before the crash. The driver, a 41-year-old Lumberton woman, stayed at the scene and was charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle, according to officials.
Across North Carolina, data shows 19 cyclists were killed on roads in 2019.
To help stay safe, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration encourages drivers to obey traffic laws and give cyclists space to ride. Cyclists are also urged to move predictably and in the direction of traffic.
This story was originally published December 10, 2021 at 10:43 AM with the headline "Teen riding bike dies after car runs into him on North Carolina highway, cops say."
