NASA Astronaut Tim Kopra was recently injured in a bicycle accident just a few weeks before his planned launch on the space shuttle Discovery, which is scheduled to go on a mission to the International Space Station on February 24th. NASA officials said that Kopra was training to serve as the chief spacewalker for Discovery’s final space shuttle mission, which includes installing spare hardware on the orbiting International Space Station’s exterior.
Bicycle Accident = Loss of Work
“Tim is doing fine and expects a full recovery, however, he will not be able to support the launch window next month,” Peggy Whitson, chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, said in a statement. “If for some unanticipated reason STS-133 slips significantly, it is possible that Tim could rejoin the crew.”
Because of his bicycle accident injuries, Kopra will be replaced by Astronaut Steve Bowen. The details of Kopra’s bicycle accident have not been released, but this just goes to show how common bicycle accidents can be, even for a NASA astronaut who is used to navigating through outer space.
Bicycle Accident Statistics
We don’t know the specifics of Astronaut Kopra’s bicycle accident, but bicycle accident statistics show that the cyclist usually sustains the most severe injuries in accidents with a larger vehicle such as a car or truck. Here are some more interesting bicycle accident statistics from the from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Traffic Safety Facts – 2009 Data (released in 2010, and still the most recent):
- 630 bicyclists died on US roads in 2009 (718 in 2008, 1,003 in 1975)
- 74 were 14 or younger, a reduction of 58 per cent from the 178 killed in 2000.
- Bicyclist deaths represented 2 per cent of all 2009 traffic fatalities
- 51,000 bicyclists were injured in traffic in 2009 (Up sharply from 43,000 in 2007)
As Astronaut Kopra has learned, a bicycle accident can also mean loss of work. Although his wages probably won’t be affected, for everyday normal people involved in bicycle accidents, these unexpected collisions can mean lost hours and pay, which, in these tough times, could spell economic disaster.
The good news is that motor vehicle laws are designed to protect cyclists, bicycles, and pedestrians from negligent drivers. The majority of bicycle accident cases are usually resolved in the favor of bicyclists because most of the burden is placed on the car driver to be vigilant and safe. This means, if you have been in a bicycle accident with a car, you’ve got a very strong case, if you have the right bicycle accident attorney.
Call Bicycle Accident Lawyers Los Angeles
Since our law firm defends a large number of bicycle accidents, we are able to fight for your injuries and get you the largest settlement or verdict. Our bicycle accident lawyers attorneys are prepared to fight for bicycle accident crash victims. We are prepared to represent any bicycle accident victim, who has been hit by a car or truck, on a contingency basis. A contingency basis means that you do not have to pay us upfront, We only get paid if you win your case. We only take a small percentage of the final bicycle accident compensation.
if you have been injured in a bicycle accident, please call our office at 1-877-702-7274 and speak to a bicycle accident attorney.
