Bicycle Accidents

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The bicycle is and always has been a popular form of transportation in the United States. For young children to adults, cycling provides freedom, exercise, and provides wonderful recreational opportunities.

However, even in bicycle-friendly communities with bicycle paths, cyclists still must frequently share the roadways with cars, trucks, and buses. As a result, vehicle accidents involving cyclists are very common.

A large number of these accidents occur at intersections. Many of them come about as a result of motorists who seem to forget that cyclists are also legitimate and lawful users of the roads, and fail to look for cyclists when making turns or proceeding through intersections. These types of accidents are exacerbated by excessively large and busy intersections.

Another common cyclist accident is commonly known as “doorings”. This happens when a driver or passenger opens a car door into an oncoming cyclist. Most vehicle owners aren’t careful enough to always take the time to check their mirrors or look back for oncoming vehicles or cyclists when exiting their vehicles. In cases like these, cyclists have little opportunity to react when a vehicle door opens, and the injuries can be extremely serious.

The relatively small size of bicycles means that cyclists are always at a disadvantage in a collision with a car, and every cyclist must adopt a defensive attitude when dealing with vehicle traffic. Bicycles and cars generally share the same traffic laws, but this does not always mean that cars observe the appropriate right-of-way rules in dealing with bicycles, particularly when cyclists are harder for drivers to see in relation to other moving cars, traffic signals, city buses, speeding taxis, and pedestrians.

When moving in traffic, cyclists should not only obey all traffic laws, but also assume that cars and drivers will not or do not see them. This means that they should give cars a wide berth, and occasionally yield to drivers under certain conditions unless they can confirm that a driver has spotted them. They should also have appropriate protective gear: properly-fitting helmets, bright or reflective clothing, and bicycles equipped with lights, reflectors, or reflective tape.

If you are a cyclist involved in one of these accidents, you need the help of an experienced personal injury attorney to help you recover damages to compensate you for your medical expenses, pain, suffering, and other losses caused by the accident.

If you or a loved one has been injured while riding a bicycle, contact The Scalora Law Group for a free legal consultation. We are experienced in bicycle accident cases. Contact us today at 860-344-9051 or fill out our contact form to have an attorney contact you back immediately.

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