Bicycle Accidents Overlooked All Too Often

One often overlooked aspect of personal injury is bicycling.  It’s easy for the bicyclist to feel as though they have no rights on the road.  They’re much smaller, much slower, and much less powerful.  Some cities are much less bicycle friendly than others as well, with no lanes or shoulders to ride on, leaving the bicyclist to either the street (often dangerous) or the sidewalks (usually against the law).

Most laws dictate that bicycle riders follow the same rules and laws as motor-vehicles, and in some cases, they may be given similar rights as pedestrians.  But it can be scary to have to share the same lane with cars and trucks, especially when they’re rushing by you at 30 to 50 miles per hour close enough to feel the air blow by.  Ride on the sidewalk, and although you may feel safer from the traffic, you may be posing a risk to pedestrian traffic, and you may get a ticket.

It may be of little consolation to some riders out there, but the drivers of those motor vehicles are supposed to follow some laws and rules where you’re concerned as well.  It’s common to see the yellow diamond-shaped signs indicating bicycle traffic, or the signs pleading with drivers to “share the road.”  But many times they are the bullies of the road… running you on to the sidewalk, or off the road into rough terrain your bicycle may not be built for.

The statistics on traffic accidents are grim, and what’s worse, they’re not complete.  That’s because most bicycle-related accidents are not reported to or by police unless they involve death or serious injury.  Most of the hit-and-run drivers in bicycle-related accidents are never caught because unless there are other drivers and witnesses, there is rarely enough information to go on.  It’s very difficult for most bicycle riders who are dealing with losing or trying to maintain control of their bike to pay attention to details such as what kind of car it was or the plate number.   Even the color of a car can be hard to recall through the after-effects of such an event.   

Naturally, the best protection is road awareness and following the rules, as well as wearing the proper protective gear (helmet, pads, etc).  Also very important, (and required by law in most places), are lights.  A headlight on the handlebars, a red light usually attached to the seat post pointed to the rear, and reflectors in the spokes make the bicycle more visible from all sides at night.  You can improve your chances even more with reflective clothing.  

As with driving a motor vehicle, skill is also important.  Learn to control your bicycle well before braving the wild roads.  The ability to keep your balance while making evasive maneuvers can mean the difference between simply catching your breath after a scary moment and an ambulance ride… or worse.

When at-fault drivers do stop or are caught, they usually get off the hook because of the lack of evidence, or it’s assumed that the bicyclist was at fault.  Proper representation is crucial in any type of injury case, and especially in the case of bicycle injuries, where the shadow of blame is often already cast.  Remember, bicyclists are the 90-pound weaklings of the road, and are easily pushed around by the heavier, faster, and sometimes not-very-observant motor vehicle drivers.  There are laws in your favor as well, and knowing your rights is important.