Several serious crashes in our own backyard over the last couple of weeks are a sobering reminder of how vulnerable people on bikes are and how quickly a normal ride can turn into a life-altering event. On Friday evening, Oct. 3, 2025, a 13-year-old Lakota/Liberty Junior High student was struck by an SUV while riding his bike in Liberty Township. Multiple outlets reported the boy was hit near Cincinnati-Dayton and Linn Roads and transported to UC Medical Center; he remains in critical condition as the community rallies around him. But that wasn’t the only recent incident for local bicyclists.

Recent Bicycle Accidents

  • OCTOBER 5th – Colerain Township hit-and-run: A 15-year-old Moeller High School student died after being hit by a vehicle while riding his bicycle early on October 5th. The vehicle was located later that night, and the driver has been identified, but the crash remains under investigation.
  • OCTOBER 3rd – Liberty Township collision: A 7th grader was hit by an SUV while riding his bike on Cincinnati-Dayton Road and was critically injured.
  • SEPTEMBER 25th – Glenway Avenue hit-and-run: A woman on an e-bike was hit by a vehicle pulling out of a driveway, and the driver fled the scene. The incident was caught on a nearby business’s security camera

As a Cincinnati law firm that has handled hundreds of injury claims, including cases for cyclists and their families, Godbey Law LLC extends our support to the student, his family, and the Lakota community. Below, we break down the local risks, Ohio law, practical steps after a crash, and how our team builds strong bicycle-injury cases.

Why These Crashes Happen — and How They’re Prevented

Common risk factors our cases and the research highlight:

  • Speed and sightlines at multilane arterials/intersections. Injury severity jumps with speed; road design that calms traffic reduces both crash frequency and severity. A Cincinnati case study on Hamilton Ave./College Hill saw a 76% reduction in injuries and 100% reduction in serious injuries/deaths after a targeted redesign.

  • High-speed crossings and unprotected bike movements. Youth on bikes commonly encounter wide crossings or long wait phases; when gaps look “good enough,” conflicts rise especially against larger SUVs.

  • Driver distraction and failure to yield. State safety reports consistently list distraction and failure to yield among top crash contributors.

  • Street redesigns & traffic calming (narrowed lanes, speed humps/tables, leading pedestrian/bike intervals, protected bike lanes). Nearby cities that lowered speed limits and added calming saw meaningful injury reductions; Cincinnati and Dayton are scaling similar measures under Vision Zero.

  • Hot-spot enforcement and education targeted to high-injury corridors (use the Vision Zero dashboard to identify them).

For Families & Cyclists: What to Do After a Bike Crash

If a crash happens — even one that “seems minor” at first — taking the right steps protects health and preserves evidence:

  1. Call 911 and get medical care immediately. Many bike injuries (concussion, internal injuries) don’t fully present right away. Insist on an official report.

  2. Document the scene. Photos of the vehicles, bike, helmet, roadway, crosswalks, signals, lighting, and any skid marks or debris are invaluable.

  3. Gather witness info and nearby video. Ask for names/phones. Identify homes or businesses with exterior cameras.

  4. Do not repair or dispose of the bike/helmet. They are evidence of the impact.

  5. Report to your own auto insurer promptly. Even as a cyclist, your auto policy may include MedPay and UM/UIM coverage if the driver is underinsured or flees.

  6. Avoid recorded statements to the other insurer before counsel. Small wording mistakes can be used against you under Ohio’s comparative fault system (more below).

  7. Call a lawyer experienced in bicycle cases early. We send preservation letters, secure footage, download event-data recorders, and work with human-factors and reconstruction experts.

For Drivers: How to Prevent Tragedies

  • 20 is plenty near schools and crossings. The kinetic energy difference between 20–30 mph often separates a hospital visit from a funeral.

  • Expect bikes at intersections — and yield. Treat a person on a bike as a full lane user. Look for contraflow protected lanes and green-painted bike boxes.

  • Right- and left-hook awareness. Signal early, check mirrors/blind spots for cyclists, and yield when crossing bike lanes.

  • Phones down. Even a brief glance can erase the time needed to avoid a child in a crosswalk.

Vision Zero’s premise is simple: human mistakes are inevitable; deaths are not. Cincinnati has committed to that standard. So should every driver.

Ohio Law That Affects Bicycle Cases

Statute of Limitations (Timing)

In most Ohio personal-injury cases, you have two years from the date of injury to file suit. For minors injured while biking, the period is typically tolled until age 18 — meaning many claims can be filed up to the child’s 20th birthday — but do not wait; evidence disappears quickly.

Comparative Fault (Who’s “How Much” at Fault matters)

Ohio follows modified comparative negligence with a 51% bar rule. If an injured person is 51% or more at fault, they cannot recover. If 50% or less at fault, any award is reduced by that percentage. Insurers often try to push cyclists over the 50% line — precise evidence collection is critical.

Claims Against Public Entities

Crashes involving municipal roads, signals, or school crossings may implicate a city, township, or county. Different notice rules and immunities apply. Early investigation and expert analysis are essential to determine if design, maintenance, or signal timing contributed.

How Godbey Law Builds Strong Bicycle-Injury Cases

Godbey Law LLC handles bicycle and vulnerable-road-user cases across Greater Cincinnati and Southwest Ohio. Here’s how we approach them:

  1. Rapid Evidence Preservation

    • Send spoliation/preservation letters to drivers, businesses, and agencies for camera footage (public and private), EDR (“black box”) data, and 911/CAD logs.

    • Pull crash reports and map the location against Cincinnati’s Vision Zero and Open Data CPD crash layers to support notice and foreseeability arguments.

  2. Liability Theory Development

    • Evaluate driver negligence (speed, yield violations, distraction), road-design factors, and sightline/lighting issues; where warranted, pursue governmental-entity claims with retained traffic-engineering experts.

  3. Damages Proof

    • Work with board-certified specialists to document TBI, orthopedic injuries, PTSD, and future medicals; quantify wage loss/earning-capacity impacts and life-care needs for young riders.

    • Present comparative-fault rebuttals using human-factors evidence (signal timing, stopping sight distance, conflict points) and age-appropriate decision-making for youth.

  4. Insurance Layering

    • Identify driver liability, UM/UIM, MedPay, and umbrella coverage across all policies; coordinate health-insurance liens and subrogation so families keep more of the net recovery.

  5. Client-Centered Support

    • For families of minors, we guide you through structured settlements and court approval processes that protect a child’s future needs.

Practical Safety Checklist (Share with Your Family)

For students and parents

  • Ride with lights (front and rear) at dusk/night; reflective ankle bands increase conspicuity.

  • Use the most protected route, even if it adds a few minutes.

  • Practice dismount-and-walk across complex intersections until your rider is confident.

  • Always ride predictably: no darting from sidewalks into crosswalks without stopping to scan.

For community members

  • Report near-miss locations to your local council office and Vision Zero partners; these inform where calming and crossings are prioritized.

If You or Your Child Was Hurt While Biking

  • Get medical care and keep every record.

  • Don’t talk to the other driver’s insurer until you’ve spoken with counsel.

  • Call Godbey Law LLC. (513) 241-6650 We offer a free consultation, move fast on evidence, and handle insurers so you can focus on recovery.

Two years is the general legal deadline in Ohio — but crucial video evidence can be overwritten in days. Early action matters. We’re Here for Greater Cincinnati Cyclists and Families Godbey Law’s mission is to protect our neighbors and hold negligent parties accountable. If a bicycle crash has affected your family — whether in Cincinnati, Liberty Township, or anywhere in Southwest Ohio — contact Godbey Law LLC to speak with an attorney about your options. We’ll listen, investigate, and fight for the full compensation you deserve under Ohio law.