Bike Accident Dangers

Bike Accident Dangers

Bicycling is generally considered a safe and healthy alternative to other forms of transportation, such as cars and trucks. But there are still certain inherent risks and dangers with bicycling. Indeed, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, while bicycles account for 1% of all trips nationwide, bicyclists account for over 2% of people who die in crashes involving a motor vehicle. In raw numbers, this means that roughly 1,000 bicyclists are killed and 130,000 more seriously injured in an average year.

Know the Rules of the Road in Illinois

In general, you have the same rights and responsibilities while riding a bicycle as you do when driving a car. But you do need to keep certain “rules of the road” in mind when it comes to potential bike accident dangers. Here are just a few examples:

• You cannot ride a bicycle on limited-access highways, expressways, or other similarly marked roadways.
• You must ride a bicycle in the same direction as vehicular traffic. Ideally, you should always keep your bike to the right of faster vehicles.
• Bicyclists should use marked bicycle lanes where available; motorists should never park or drive their own vehicles in or on such lanes.
• Motorists must yield to a bicyclist under the same circumstances as any other vehicle.
• A motorist must always leave at least 3 feet of space when passing a bicyclist.
• Bicyclists must use appropriate hand signals at intersections. Motorists must also keep a proper lookout for bicycles before proceeding into an intersection or executing a turn.

Bicyclists Can Sue Negligent Motorists

When a driver ignores the rules of the road and injures someone, that is considered a form of legal negligence. An injured bicyclist can file a personal injury lawsuit and seek damages against the motorist for such negligence. This is especially important when the bicyclist has suffered serious–and potentially fatal–injuries in a crash.

Some of the more dangerous bike accident injuries we see in our practice include the following:

• Traumatic Brain Injuries
• Spinal Cord Damage
• Compound Fractures
• Joint Damage
• Internal Bleeding
• Internal Organ Damage

A bicyclist can seek economic damages to cover the past and future costs of treating these injuries. They may also demand compensation for the property damage done to their bicycle. Illinois law also permits non-economic damages in bike accident cases to compensate injured bicyclists for their ongoing physical and emotional trauma

Contact a Mount Prospect Bike Accident Lawyer Today

If you are a bicyclist who was struck by a reckless driver, you should not assume that the driver or their insurance company will accept responsibility without putting up a fight. That is why you should speak with a qualified Mount Prospect bicycle accident lawyer as soon as possible following a crash. The SAM LAW OFFICE, LLC, handles a wide range of personal injury cases for clients throughout Cook County. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.