Attorney
Even the most careful bicyclist is prone to injuries on the road. While wearing a safety helmet minimizes the risk of head injury, cyclists can also suffer broken bones, burns, and spinal cord injuries in vehicle collisions. Unfortunately, a bicycle offers no protection from the impact of a car, even at low speeds.
According to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute (BHSI), bicycle and car collisions are responsible for the most severe rider injuries and deaths. The most recent data from the BHSI indicates that 92 percent of bicyclist deaths in the U.S. were caused by collisions with automobiles. A rider can suffer injuries even if there is no impact with the car. In some cases, a distracted driver can run a bicyclist off the road, causing the cyclist to crash into another object.
Motorists have an obligation to share the road with bicyclists, but that is not always the case, unfortunately. Inattentive motorists and motorists who do not respect bicyclists’ rights to the road are two main causes of accidents. There have also been incidents of road rage when a motorist intentionally injures a bicyclist. In those cases, the case ends up in criminal court, but the injured cyclist can still recover for his or her injuries in civil court.
Do you know a bicyclist injured by an inattentive or negligent motorist? Call our team today.
Koonz, McKenney, Johnson & DePaolis L.L.P.
Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia Injury Attorneys
Approved by attorney Paulette Chapman