Hollister Bicycle Accident Lawyer

What Are Common Causes Of Bicycle Accidents?

Understanding common causes of bicycle accidents may help you pay closer attention when these issues arise.

Dangerous or Hazardous Road Conditions

Poor road conditions, such as a sudden change in the road surface, make it easy for bicyclists to lose control of their bicycles. Old roads are subject to wear and tear, resulting in damage like potholes and rutting. Most roads are controlled by local, state, or federal governments. These agencies must regularly maintain these roadways. A failure to do so could result in the liability of these agencies for your injuries.

Distracted Driving

Drivers distracted by their phones, radios, eating, or other car passengers often cause bicycle accidents. Although drivers are encouraged to stay focused on the road, they do not always follow this good advice. Even a split second of looking away from the road can have catastrophic consequences.

Bicycle Lane of Travel

One accident caused by a bicycle’s typical lane of travel is called “dooring,” which occurs when drivers parked on the street or close to a bicycle lane carelessly exit their car. As they fling their car door, bicyclists often cannot avoid a dangerous collision. Another type of accident occurs when motorists fail to provide enough room for bicyclists. California law requires motorists to maintain a safe distance between themselves and bicycles. As they attempt to drive past a bicyclist, they may sideswipe the bicyclist and cause an accident. Bicyclists may also be rear-ended by drivers impatiently following them too closely.

Bicycle Defects

Defective bicycles also cause bicycle accidents and injuries. When a bike malfunctions due to a faulty part or a mechanical defect, these issues may make an accident unavoidable. These are usually unexpected and may occur at high speeds, creating a risk for severe injury. A Hollister bicycle accident lawyer can help you pursue compensation if a defective bike contributed to your accident.

Bicycle Accident Statistics of California and San Benito County

▸  145 bicyclists killed in California traffic crashes in 2023 — one of the highest annual totals in the nation  — California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) / SWITRS, 2023

▸  Approximately 0.6% of employed San Benito County residents commute by bicycle — slightly above the national average of 0.4%  — San Benito County Bikeway and Pedestrian Master Plan

▸  San Benito County has approximately 8 miles of bike lanes and 2 miles of bike routes across the entire county  — San Benito County Bikeway and Pedestrian Master Plan

▸  85% of bicycle fatalities in examined California studies occurred on roadways without bike lanes — directly relevant to San Benito County’s infrastructure gaps  — BikeLA / TIMS analysis

▸  Broadside crashes — where a vehicle turns into or across a cyclist’s path — are the most common crash type in California cyclist FSI crashes, accounting for 31.1% of incidents in 2023  — UC Berkeley SafeTREC, 2025 Motorcycle and Cyclist Safety Facts (SWITRS 2023)

▸  20% of all bicyclist and pedestrian fatalities in CHP jurisdiction from 2020-2022 involved this vulnerable road user category — 1,519 of 7,559 total fatalities  — California Highway Safety Plans; CHP data

Where Hollister Cyclists Face the Highest Risk

San Felipe Road — The Retail Corridor

San Felipe Road is Hollister’s primary commercial arterial, carrying significant daily traffic to and from the Hollister Gateway Center retail area. The San Benito County Bikeway Plan identified San Felipe Road as a corridor requiring Class I bicycle infrastructure on the west side. Until that infrastructure exists, cyclists share lanes with vehicles traveling at arterial speeds. The specific risks: left-turn violations at signalized intersections where drivers turning across oncoming traffic fail to yield to cyclists; right-cross collisions at driveway exits where vehicles pull out without checking for cyclists; and interactions with delivery vehicles serving the retail corridor’s businesses.

San Benito Street and Downtown Hollister

The downtown corridor along San Benito Street creates the classic urban cycling hazards: dooring incidents when parked vehicle doors open into the path of approaching cyclists (California Vehicle Code §22517); right-hook crashes where a turning vehicle fails to yield to a cyclist continuing straight; and interactions between cyclists and slower pedestrians at crosswalks. The City of Hollister has identified downtown bikeways as a planning priority. Until that network is implemented, cyclists navigate these streets with vehicles on roads not designed for mixed use.

Highway 25 — Rural Corridor With No Bike Infrastructure

Highway 25 between Hollister and Gilroy is a designated no-passing zone — established because of the corridor’s prior head-on crash history. For cyclists, Highway 25 creates a specific risk: commercial vehicles and agricultural trucks must pass cyclists on a two-lane road where there is no physical separation. California Vehicle Code §21760 (as strengthened by AB 1909 in 2023) requires drivers to change lanes entirely when passing a cyclist on a multi-lane road where another lane is available. On the two-lane portions of Highway 25, where a lane change is not possible, drivers must slow to a safe speed and maintain adequate clearance — and bear full liability when they don’t.

Rural San Benito County Agricultural Roads

The rural roads connecting Hollister to agricultural operations throughout San Benito County Tres Pinos Road, Airline Highway, and the network of agricultural access routes carry cyclists who use these quieter routes for commuting and recreation. These roads have no bike lane infrastructure, limited lighting, and higher rural speeds. Agricultural trucks moving between farms and the county’s food processing operations share these roads with cyclists who have no dedicated space. When a crash occurs on these roads, the investigation addresses the same legal framework as any California bicycle crash and the driver’s duty of care is the same regardless of how rural the road.

California Bicycle Laws That Govern Your Hollister Claim

CVC §21200 — Cyclists Have Full Road Rights

California Vehicle Code §21200 establishes that every person riding a bicycle on a California road has all the same rights and responsibilities as a motor vehicle driver. Cyclists are legally entitled to use the full lane on any Hollister road including those without bike lanes. When a driver fails to yield, fails to check before turning, or fails to leave adequate passing space for a cyclist, they have violated the cyclist’s legal right to use that road. That violation is the foundation of your personal injury claim.

Three Feet for Safety Act — and the 2023 AB 1909 Upgrade

California Vehicle Code §21760 requires drivers to maintain at least three feet of clearance when passing a cyclist. Assembly Bill 1909 (OmniBike Bill, effective January 1, 2023) upgraded this law: when another lane is available, drivers must change lanes entirely to pass a cyclist the same as passing any other vehicle. On San Felipe Road and other multi-lane Hollister corridors, a driver who squeezes past a cyclist in the same lane without moving over is violating California law. Fines range from $238 to $982 when the violation causes injury, and the violation is direct evidence of negligence.

Dooring Law — CVC §22517

California Vehicle Code §22517 requires drivers and passengers to check for approaching cyclists before opening a vehicle door facing traffic. In downtown Hollister along San Benito Street and near San Felipe Road parking areas, dooring incidents occur when a door swings open into a cyclist’s path. Whether the cyclist is struck directly or forced into traffic to avoid the door, the person who opened the door bears legal responsibility. Checking for cyclists before opening the door is a legal obligation that this statute imposes specifically to prevent these crashes.

Helmet Law — Under-18 Only for Cyclists

California’s bicycle helmet requirement applies only to riders under 18. Adult cyclists are not legally required to wear helmets. If you were not wearing a helmet and your injuries include head trauma, the insurer may argue your head injuries were worsened applying comparative fault to reduce damages attributable to head injuries specifically. Your attorney challenges this with medical expert testimony separating which injuries a helmet would or would not have prevented, and by challenging the application of comparative fault to lawful adult behavior that is not negligence per se.

What to Do After a Bicycle Crash in Hollister

After a crash, emergency services can be contacted by calling 911. Incidents within Hollister city limits are typically handled by the Hollister Police Department, while crashes on Highway 25 and other state routes are generally responded to by the California Highway Patrol.

Medical evaluation on the same day is recommended following a collision. The Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital Emergency Department, located on Sunset Drive, serves as the primary acute care facility in San Benito County.

The bicycle involved in the incident may serve as physical evidence, as its condition can help clarify how the crash occurred. Documenting any damage before repairs may be useful.

Insurance companies may contact individuals after a crash regarding statements or settlements. It is generally advisable to review such requests carefully and consider obtaining appropriate guidance before providing recorded statements or agreeing to early settlement offers.

Statute of Limitations for Hollister Bicycle Accident Claims

California Code of Civil Procedure §335.1: two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit against a private party. If a government vehicle or road defect was involved: California Government Code §911.2 requires a government claim within six months. Minor victims: the two-year clock is tolled until the 18th birthday, but the six-month government entity deadline still applies through a parent or guardian. Contact Silva Injury Law as early as possible evidence disappears quickly.

What Is An Average Settlement For Bicycle Accidents In California?

Proving negligence is a vital element to the success of your claim. Your attorney analyzes the facts of your case and works to establish the liable party’s negligence. The facts of your case also provide insight into the value of your case. Although there is no average settlement for all bicycle accidents, various factors support what your case may be worth. These factors include:

• The severity of injuries;
• Costs for current and future medical treatment;
• Loss of earnings;
• The existence of permanent injuries, disabilities, or disfigurement;
• Emotional distress.