Cyclist calls for change after horrific accident on video

INDIANAPOLIS – An Indianapolis man captured a horrific moment on camera when he was hit by a car while riding his bike.

Jacob Morales was driving on Brookside Parkway South Drive when he was struck by a gold Chevrolet.

“They started their turn way over. When I realized what was happening, I was right in their path. They didn't have a headlight, so I didn't know what was happening. I landed on their windshield,” Morales said.

He smashed the windshield, rolled off the side of the car and somehow landed on his feet.

“I was very scared, you could see it on my face. I was scared and prepared for impact,” Morales said.

Morales said that to his shock and disbelief, the driver never slowed down or stopped to check if he was OK.

“They just kept driving down the road. At the end of the road, they actually stopped. A door opened, maybe they were assessing the damage. I begged them to do the right thing, but they drove away. This person just did this to me and didn't care at all where they were going. They could have killed me,” Morales said.

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Morales said that as a frequent driver, he has often found himself in dangerous situations on the road.

Pedestrians and cyclists being hit by cars have become an increasing problem in Indiana. Last month alone, more than 100 pedestrians were hit by motorists in Indianapolis – seven of them died.

Morales said more needs to be done.

“The accident that occurred here was entirely avoidable. To ensure that we make the roads safe, we will need special resources,” he said.

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He hopes that someone will recognize the driver and report him. If not, he hopes that the driver will at least drive more safely.

“Everyone has a family. We are all pedestrians at some point in our day. That has to be reflected in the way we drive,” Morales said.

The city and county council recently adopted “Vision Zero,” a plan to eliminate all pedestrian and cyclist fatalities in the city by 2035.