What Are the Most Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents?

If you suffered an injury after a bike accident, you have a right to recover compensation from the negligent driver who caused your injuries.

Why Are Bicycle Crashes Happening?

Many may wonder, Why are bicycle crashes happening? More people looking for ways to get outside and commute economically on bicycles increases the likelihood of a bicycle crash. Although the NHTSA outlines numerous ways for bicyclists to protect themselves while riding their bikes, accidents continue to happen.

Some of the takeaways to avoid accidents are to understand that (1) bicyclist deaths are highest between June and September, (2) nearly three-quarters of bicyclist deaths occur in urban areas, and (3) failing to yield the right of way is the leading cause of fatal bike crashes.

Even if you are careful and follow all safety precautions, you cannot control how drivers behave on the road. Despite all your best efforts, you may still cross paths with a negligent driver.

Common Causes Of Bicycle Accidents

There are many causes of bicycle accidents, but bikers face a greater risk of severe injuries than vehicle drivers because they are less protected. Let’s go over some of the most common causes of bicycle accidents.

Dooring

Bicycle dooring accidents occur when a car is parked on the street, and the driver or passenger opens their door into traffic without looking to see if anyone is coming up behind them. When a bicycle travels toward the car, they have limited time to react to the open door.

Failure to Signal

When a car driver intends to make a right turn, they sometimes fail to signal or look if a bicyclist is traveling in the bike lane nearby. When the driver makes a right turn, they may cut off the bicyclist and cause an accident.

Driver Overtaking Cyclist

Bicyclists are often hit from behind while riding legally in a roadway or bike lane. These accidents usually occur at night when visibility is low, and drivers cannot stop in time to avoid a cyclist.

Distracted Driving

When a driver is looking at their phone, adjusting their radio, or engaging with other passengers in the car, they may fail to see a cyclist on the road and cause an accident.

Road Rage

Many drivers express impatience at bicyclists legally taking space in a roadway or bike lane. These acts of anger often create catastrophic results as a bicyclist may be run off the road.

Failure to Yield

Accidents often occur when a driver fails to yield to a bicyclist to provide them the right-of-way. Drivers must understand the laws surrounding sharing the road with bicyclists, including when to deliver to a bicyclist in the roadway.

Bicycle accident cases are particularly complex and require fast action. The statute of limitations for an injury after a bicycle accident is generally two years from the date of the event. While this may seem like plenty of time, a failure to file a timely claim usually bars you from filing at a later date. Your personal injury attorney will carefully evaluate the cause of your bicycle accident to determine your best path forward while observing the deadlines.

Contact Us

At Silva Injury Law, we provide our clients with compassionate and aggressive legal representation. We understand the common causes of bicycle accidents and the injuries that you may face.

We also understand the financial difficulties you may face on top of a challenging physical and emotional recovery. That’s why we never charge injured victims any money upfront. While our fee is a percentage of what we collect, we don’t collect unless we obtain a settlement or judgment on your behalf.

We know what it takes to handle aggressive insurance companies and defense attorneys. We work hard for your best interests so that you can move forward with your life. Contact us today for a free case evaluation to find out how the attorneys at Silva Injury Law can help you.
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