Top 5 Reasons Bike Accidents Occur

Bike accidents usually happen because a driver is not paying attention or fails to yield to the cyclist. Here are five scenarios of the top reasons bike accidents occur:

1. A car pulls out in front of a biker from a side street.

To avoid it: When you are biking, make yourself aware to drivers by being visible. Wear brightly colored clothing, use a headlight or flashing light even during the day. Make eye contact, wave or yell so you know the driver is aware of you. Anticipate cars pulling out from the right and prepare yourself to stop if needed. You can also ride further out to the left to create more angels of visibility and giving you more time to move out of the way if necessary.

2. A car attempts to make a right turn in front of a biker.

To avoid it: Ride further left in the lane so a car can’t get around you as easily. If a car still cuts you off, riding further to the left will give you more room to swerve if necessary.

3. A parked car opens their car door blocking the biker without enough time to stop or swerve out of the way.

To avoid it: Ride further to the left even if it puts you more into the lane of traffic. You could also keep a lookout for cars parking or drivers sitting in their car.

4. A biker is hit from the rear end. Rear-end collisions are the most common way drunk drivers hurt or kill bikers.

To avoid it: Ride-on roads with less traffic and be visible. Wear headlights, taillights, reflective gear or anything else that will make you stand out to drivers.

5. A biker attempts to make a left-hand turn in front of a biker.

To avoid it: Ride where you can be seen. Drivers generally won’t see you riding on the sidewalk so ride on the street. Be aware of what is coming up in front of you to avoid traffic, bushes or parked cars.

Though you can ride in the street, be courteous of drivers and abide by traffic laws.

Bicycle Accident Attorneys

The bicycle accident attorneys of Parke Gordon Law Firm will take steps to ensure your rights are fully protected following an accident.  We’ll seek to recover all your damages and maximize your settlement and recovery.  Our attorneys have effectively represented bicyclists and obtained impressive settlements for our bicycle accident clients for years.

Contact our bicycle accident attorneys for a free consultation. Our experienced attorneys are on your side and will fight for your rights.