Traffic is annoying and difficult to deal with, and you may choose to ride a bicycle for this or other reasons. Riding a bike is heart-healthy, eco-friendly, and can help you avoid congested traffic.
Even though drivers should share the road, they don’t always respect the space around bicyclists. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), about two percent of fatal car crashes involve bicyclists each year.
Unfortunately, the frustration of bicyclists having the same right to use the road as motor vehicles often follows them through the personal injury legal system. Whether you’re simply riding your bike for fun, on a daily commute, or are a competitive cyclist, you should be aware of the dangers that exist on public roads. You may have a right to recover money if you suffered injuries in a road bicycle crash and you need a bicycle crash lawyer to do that for you.
What Are Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents?
Cyclists are at an increased risk of suffering severe or fatal injuries because they have less protection than drivers or passengers in motor vehicles.
Here are some of the most common causes of bicycle crashes:
- Right-hand or left-turn collisions where the driver fails to look for cyclists
- Unsafe lane changes
- Texting while driving and other distractions
- Driving too close to the shoulder or bike lane
- Opening a car door without checking for a bicyclist
Some non-driver factors that can lead to bicycle crashes include:
- Sand or gravel on the roadway
- Construction site debris
- Poorly marked construction sites
- Roadway hazards
Suffering traumatic injuries in a bicycle crash can be expensive and emotionally exhausting. For starters, police officers nearly always blame the cyclists for causing the crash often when it’s absurd to do so. A San Jose bike accident lawyer will understand that recovering money for your injuries is integral to your personal recovery process.
Our law firm built a reputation for handling challenging cases and upholding the best interests of our bike crash clients. Whether a negligent driver or something else caused your crash and injuries, don’t hesitate to contact Bohn & Fletcher.
Proving Your Road Bicycle Crash Claim
Investigating a bicycle crash case begins with identifying and proving that another party was negligent. Identifying and proving acts of negligence can present challenges, so you should always avoid handling your case on your own.
Here are some forms of negligence that contribute to bicycle crashes:
- Aggressive driving – Impatient drivers can become aggressive and make poor choices like tailgating a cyclist. Road rage can cause drivers to crash into bicyclists because motorists move significantly faster than cyclists, leading to severe and potentially fatal injuries.
- Impaired driving – Drivers who are drunk or under the influence of other substances risk causing life-threatening crashes. Driving while under the influence makes it more difficult for motorists to respond to changing road conditions.
- Careless driving – Making a poor choice on the road can lead to severe consequences. Careless driving may look like anything from distracted driving to failing to yield correctly. Paying attention to the road and safely considering cyclists right to the road can help drivers avoid these mistakes.
Government agencies must maintain roads in a safe condition, including bike lanes and bike paths. Potholes or other hazards present on the road can cause a bicyclist to suffer a serious injury. When a bicycle part like a defective bike helmet leads to severe injuries, the responsible company should be held accountable for the cyclist’s losses.
Seeking Financial Recovery For Bicycle Crashes
Losses after a bicycle crash can be astounding and leave riders facing financial issues as well as a lifetime of disabilities. Bike crash lawyers know how to calculate high-value claims and recover the money you need for your injuries and losses. This is important since bike crash injuries can often be severe or fatal.
Examples of injuries that bicyclists can sustain include:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones
- Organ damage
- Paralysis/quadriplegia
- Head/brain injuries
An experienced, skilled and dedicated lawyer at Bohn & Fletcher will dedicate himself to assisting riders with their cases and securing the maximum amount of compensation. Collecting evidence in your case can become more complex as time passes, so don’t take too much time to contact Bohn & Fletcher for help.
Bicycle Crash FAQs
When Passing, Do Drivers Have to Give Bicyclists Space?
Drivers who overtake or pass a bicycle proceeding in the same direction must do so safely and provide a buffer between their vehicle and bikes.
Can a Driver Enter the Bicycle Lane?
Bike lanes have a solid white lane or a green lane with a solid white boundary. Only in limited circumstances may drivers properly enter the bicycle lane. For example, motor vehicles may only enter the bike lane to park where cars are permitted, prepare for a turn within 200 feet of an intersection, or enter or leave the roadway.
Who can I recover money from in a bicycle crash case?
The negligent party is responsible for causing the crash and losses resulting from it. This is often another driver, but a municipality, construction crew, bike manufacturer, or other parties may cause or contribute to the cause of a crash.