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Anatomy Of A Bicycle Accident: Who's At Fault?

(CBS) -- Bikes, cars and pedestrians -- it's the delicate dance of the city.

On Friday, CBS 2 observed the dangers firsthand.

It happened in a flash. As reporter Sandra Torres was preparing for a live shot at Adams and Canal, a bicyclist collided with a taxi.

Banged-up biker Lance Cooper broke a bone in his hand.

He initially thought the cabbie ran a red light, but after watching the video he conceded he may have been at fault.

He was ticketed for running a red light. The cabbie, meanwhile, was ticketed for driving without a license.

It's the life of a biker in Chicago.

Cooper, released from the hospital later Friday, says he's had five or six accidents. He advises wearing a helmet.

According to the city of Chicago's bicycle crash analysis there are roughly 1,500 bike-versus- vehicle accidents a year.

The number of injury crashes are increasing, as are the number of bikers -- up more than 150 percent since 2000.

From 2005 to 2010, 32 cyclists in Chicago were killed in crashes with vehicles. Of the 32, 31 were not wearing helmets.

 

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