Bicycle accidents are commonly caused by distracted motorists. Riding your bicycle should be a matter of enjoyment – whether you're riding your bike for transportation or as a form of exercise.
When a bicycle accident occurs, the results can be tragic. If you or someone in your family has been injured in a bicycle accident, and you believe someone else was at fault for those injuries, contact our team of lawyers at McEldrew Purtell today for a free case evaluation. Call 1-800-590-5151 to speak to an attorney immediately.
Bicycle Accident Injuries
If you are injured in a bicycle accident, it’s important to have the proper documentation produced for you by a law enforcement officer, documenting the accident and any subsequent injuries. This documentation will help support your accident injury claim in a court of law and may help you pursue payment of medical expenses and further damages.
Motorists driving cars, trucks, and other vehicles should always be on the lookout for bicycles. The most common ways people are injured in a bicycle accident include the following:
- Backing up – Motorists back out of driveways or parking spaces abruptly without examining their surroundings.
- Intersection collisions – Cyclists may enter intersections safely, but motorists neglect to look for them as they enter or pass through an intersection.
- Left-handed turns – When drivers of motor vehicles fail to signal that they are making a left turn, this can lead cyclists to believe the vehicle is continuing straight on and that they can pass through the intersection safely. These injuries can also occur if a motor vehicle driver neglects to look prior to making a left turn and does not see a cyclist coming forward.
- Merging or changing lanes – Motorists don’t properly check their lanes as they merge or change positions can injure a cyclist that may be in a blind spot.
- Open door collisions – Cyclists riding in road ways may be hit by a driver or passenger opening their door abruptly without looking to see if a cyclist is in route.
- Passing cyclists without ample space – When motorists see cyclists on the road and wish to pass them, but don’t allow enough room between their vehicle and the cyclist, causing the cyclist to be knocked off of their bike or the road.
- Unsafe roads – Potholes, construction, and other damage to roads can cause unsafe traveling conditions for cyclists, causing injury.
Safety on the Roads
To avoid injury as a cyclist, always wear a helmet and bright, reflective gear. Also, flashing lights should be installed onto a bike to attract the attention of motorists. Both motorists and bicyclists have a responsibility to ensure safe biking on Pennsylvania roads. Bicyclists must obey all rules of the road, which include stopping at stop signs, stop lights, intersections, and ride on the far right-hand side of the road (with the flow of traffic, in a bike lane or on the shoulder).
Drivers should always be on the lookout for bicyclists. Drivers should treat bicycles as other vehicles, and should respect rules at stoplights, stop signs, and intersections. Sometimes, despite care and safety taken by bicyclists, accidents happen. Injuries that result may be the fault of a driver or the manufacturer of a defective bicycle. If you or someone you know has been involved in a bicycle accident, contact our team of lawyers at McEldrew Purtell today for a free case evaluation. Call our attorneys at (215) 545-8800.