Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents
There are myriad ways that an accident can occur. The most common cause of bicycle accidents is due to the negligence of either the rider or the driver. To avoid accidents, first and foremost always be aware of your surroundings. No matter who is at fault, staying alert can help avoid a crash or collision. Know and follow the rules of the road, always wear a helmet and utilize your hand signals and mirrors.
Listed below are some common causes of bicycle accidents along with a general outcome and who the usual at-fault party would be:
- Getting Doored — This is when the door of a car or motor vehicle is swung open into the way of an oncoming cyclist. Whether it occurred in a bicycle lane or not, it is the responsibility of the person opening the door to check for traffic before opening the door. As a cyclist, staying alert can help in detouring away from a negligent passenger or driver.
- Hit-and-Run — A hit-and-run situation oftentimes can happen when a bicycle is involved. This happens usually for one of two reasons:
- The driver perceived the cyclist as reckless, not following the rules of the road and found it unnecessary to stop when they felt they were not at fault. While this is obviously the wrong thing to do, it is fairly common.
- The driver may have caused the accident, but did not make contact with the cyclist and therefore did not realize they were the cause of an accident.
- Running a red light or stop sign — As we know, cyclists are responsible for following the rules of the road; just because they are riding a bicycle does not exempt them from road rules. If an accident occurred due to a red light run-through, the party who did not have the right-of-way is at fault. It is important for cyclists to be observant, particularly when approaching an intersection.
- Right Turn Accident — One of the most common causes of brain injury in cyclists is in accidents where a vehicle makes a righthand turn without checking for cycle traffic. While this can seem like an obvious case where the driver is at fault, we also have to take the setting into consideration. Biker negligence can be the case if they were riding in the wrong direction on a one-way street, riding against traffic, running a red light or a stop sign, or turning without warning into traffic.

If you believe you have a case, call today for your free personal evaluation.
Get Your Free Case Evaluation
Trust no one but Pattenaude Law for your Personal Injury cases. We have experience in a wide variety of practice areas, winning 99% of our cases. Tom Pattenaude represents seriously injured people both within the State of California, as well as nationally. No matter the circumstance, we are a reliable firm that will not settle for anything less than just compensation.
If you believe you have a personal injury case or are in question on whether you should file a claim, call in today for a free evaluation. We only take valid cases and will provide as much guidance as possible on how to determine so. Contact us today to find out more.