A 39-year-old bicyclist was seriously injured Friday afternoon after riding through a red light at a busy Fall River intersection and colliding with a black sport utility vehicle. Fall River Police officers responded to the intersection of King Philip Street and South Main Street at 12:57 p.m., where they found the woman badly hurt and in need of immediate medical transport.
According to WJAR, the woman had been traveling on South Main Street when she entered the King Philip Street intersection against a red traffic signal and was struck by the SUV. She was transported to Rhode Island Hospital with serious injuries. No charges had been filed as of the station's report, and the crash remains under investigation.
The decision to transport the patient across the state line reflects the regional trauma network that serves Bristol County. Rhode Island Hospital in Providence operates as the designated Level I Trauma Center for both Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, according to Brown University Health, making it the go-to facility for severe injury patients from communities like Fall River that lack a comparable trauma center of their own.
What State Law Requires of Cyclists at Red Lights
Under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 85, Section 11B, bicyclists have the right to use nearly all public roadways, with the exception of limited-access expressways, but that right comes with the same obligations drivers face at intersections, according to the General Court of Massachusetts. That means cyclists are strictly subject to traffic signals just as motor vehicle operators are, with no special exemption for stopping at a red light.
Separately, state law also allows bicyclists to ride on sidewalks outside central business districts when necessary for safety, provided they yield to pedestrians and give an audible signal before passing, per the same statute. Local municipalities can still restrict sidewalk riding through their own ordinances, and whether that provision bears on this particular stretch of South Main Street is not addressed in available reporting.
If investigators determine a bicyclist violated traffic law, Massachusetts General Law Chapter 85, Section 11E permits police to issue citations through standard ticketing procedures. Notably, such citations do not affect a bicyclist's motor vehicle driver's license or auto insurance rating, a distinction state lawmakers built into the statute to separate bicycle infractions from driving records.
A Second Severe Crash in Fall River Within a Year
This is not the first time Fall River has grappled with a serious crash involving a bicyclist in recent memory. In December, the city recorded a fatal hit-and-run when 34-year-old cyclist Jordyn Lyttle was struck and killed on Stafford Road, a case Hoodline previously reported involved a multi-agency search for a Subaru Legacy driver.
The crash underscores the importance of roadway safety for cyclists and pedestrians. State grant programs can help fund infrastructure improvements.
Roadway Safety for Cyclists
Friday's crash underscores the importance of roadway safety for cyclists and pedestrians.
Friday's collision occurred at the intersection of King Philip and South Main streets.
Fall River Police have not indicated when their investigation into Friday's crash will conclude, and it remains unclear whether citations will ultimately be issued. For now, the crash is a reminder that cyclists and drivers share the road.
