July 28, 2022
A bicycle accident lawyer knows that there are a range of scenarios that can lead to a bicycle accident. A collision involving a cyclist and a driver operating a motor vehicle almost always results in the cyclist sustaining more injuries. Due to the minimal protection, they are more vulnerable to suffering head injuries and other severe injuries. Such accidents can happen anywhere. Some of the most common scenarios involving bicycle accidents are described below.
Changing Lanes
A cyclist is much smaller than other vehicles, so drivers must be cautious and take the time to properly look before they switch lanes. If they look too quickly or fail to check their blind spots, they might strike the cyclist. When this happens, the cyclist often is not able to avoid the car, causing them to veer off the road, or enter the other lane and hit vehicles coming from the opposite direction.
Failing to Yield at Intersections
Intersections are one of the most common areas where bicycle collisions happen, as a bicycle accident lawyer like one at Tuttle Larsen, P.A. can explain. It is a busy place, and vehicles come from all directions. Drivers can have a difficult time seeing cyclists, or they may be in too much of a rush to see where cyclists are coming from. In many intersections, bike lanes are small or unavailable, which increases the chances of an accident occurring.
Backing Up a Parking Space
A bicycle accident also commonly happens when a driver is backing up in a parking space, such as in a neighborhood or parking lot, and fails to see a cyclist in their vicinity. Some drivers back up too fast or do not look in all directions, causing them to strike a cyclist suddenly. The cyclist can sustain devastating injuries because they usually cannot do anything to avoid the collision since they are struck from the side.
Aggressive Driving
Compared to other vehicles on the road, a cyclist is much slower. This can impede the surrounding traffic, frustrating other drivers and motorists. They can become impatient if they are stuck behind a cyclist, so they might try to go around the cyclist in an unsafe manner. Aggressive driving makes up a significant portion of accidents.
Schedule a consultation with a trusted bicycle accident lawyer for more information about how you can receive legal services with a personal injury claim.