A professional triathlete was left for dead after a driver struck her in a hit-and-run crash in central Florida.
Now hospitalized with severe injuries, she hopes her ordeal can bring about increased safety measures for road cyclists.
At 8:00 A.M. on November 15, Gabrielle Suver was cycling along the side of a county road near Orlando, training for an upcoming Ironman triathlon in Cozumel, Mexico.
That’s when the 35-year-old was sideswiped by a driver, according to news outlet ClickOrlando. The Florida Highway Patrol told the outlet that there were no witnesses to the collision, and Suver, who lost consciousness when she was hit, did not see the vehicle.
After colliding with Suver, the unidentified driver fled the scene. Suver was later airlifted to a local hospital with extensive injuries. According to an update on her Instagram, Suver suffered three spinal fractures, a broken left tibia and fibula, a fractured patella, sternum, and scapula, four broken ribs, a lacerated liver and a concussion.
Suver faces a long road to recovery, and the injuries could have an impact on her career in endurance sports. Suver explained that she has already had “two surgeries so far to put rods, hardware, and reconstruct parts of the back/spine and the lower leg, and stitches for open wounds.”
Suver says she hopes her plight can cast a spotlight on the risks faced by road cyclists. “It makes me sad,” she told ClickOrlando. “I know people have places to go, but nothing is more important than someone’s life. There does need to be more education, safety protocols, especially with so much more congestion now. It’s more important than ever for people to look out for each other.”
She added that she is “not sure how much I would want to ride outside anymore, because it’s getting so dangerous.”
Suver is the latest victim of vehicular violence toward cyclists, which occurs in all U.S. states. In 2021, Outside published an extensive report on cycling deaths caused by drivers in the United States in 2020, including a guide for cyclists on What to Do if You’re Hit by a Car, as well as an essay written by the victim of a hit-and-run. At the time, our research found that although overall traffic deaths are decreasing, cycling deaths are increasing, and that Florida has long had one of the highest bicycle accident death rates in the nation.
Research from Atlanta-based personal injury firm Bader Law, based on 2022 statistics, puts Florida in the top three most dangerous states for cyclists, after Louisiana and Mississippi. It also highlights particular risk for cyclists in the southern U.S., with Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, South Carolina, and Alabama all ranking in the top ten most deadliest states.
The problem hasn’t improved. Matt Scarborough, a Florida attorney specializing in bicycle accidents, told that two key issues contribute to making cyclists particularly vulnerable: “drivers failing to give cyclists adequate space and Florida’s law not requiring liability insurance for all motorists.”
Suver’s coach and friend, Rebecca Marsh, has started a GoFundMe to support Suver’s recovery. Marsh is also hunting for the perpetrator. “I want them to see what they’ve done and who they’ve hurt,” she told FOX 35 Orlando. “I’ve been in the sport for 30 years, and I’ve never seen so much support for someone. Gabby, the community loves her. And it’s not just being a good athlete, it’s her as a person. I want this person to get to know her.”
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