What are the Most Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents?

What are the Most Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents?

Bicycle accidents occur in a wide variety of ways throughout Southern California. Often, these incidents are caused by the careless or negligent action of either another driver or the bicyclist. Here, we want to examine some of the most common causes of bicycle accidents in our area.

Driver Causes of Bicycle Accidents

All too often, we see that bicycle accidents are caused by the careless or negligent actions of other drivers. In fact, it is not uncommon for other drivers to simply ignore bicyclists on the roadway. Some of the most common ways that drivers cause bicycle accidents in our area include the following:

• Distracted driving. Operating a vehicle while distracted by a phone, someone else in the vehicle, eating or drinking, or any other type of distraction is incredibly dangerous. When drivers are distracted, they are much less likely to see a smaller bicycle on the roadway.
• Impaired driving. Operating while impaired by alcohol or drugs is incredibly dangerous, and this is a leading cause of vehicle crash fatalities throughout the state each year.
• Failing to yield. When drivers fail to yield the right of way to a bicyclist, this significantly increases the chance that an accident will occur. Bicyclists must be treated with the same rights as any other motorist on the roadway.
• Speeding. Driving too fast for conditions is a leading cause of vehicle accidents in California every year, and collisions with a bicycle that occur at a higher rate of speed will significantly increase the severity of any injuries that occur.

Bicycle Rider Fault for a Crash

Bicyclists can also cause accidents on the roadway. It is crucial for every bicyclist to understand that they have to obey traffic laws and operate like any other vehicle on the roadway. Some of the main ways that bicyclists cause accidents on California roadways include the following:

• Failing to stop. Bicyclists have to obey stop signs and traffic signals. Vehicle drivers expect this, and a failure to stop could lead to a deadly collision.
• Failing to yield. Bicyclists are required to yield to others on the roadway, just like motorists are required to yield. Failing to yield the right of way at yield signs or at intersections could lead to major collisions.
• Operating while distracted. Just like vehicle drivers, bicyclists can also operate while distracted. This can include distractions from phones, while fiddling with GPS devices, or while listening to music or podcasts.
• Not being visible. It is crucial for bicyclists to be as visible as possible. This includes having lights or reflectors on the bicycle and wearing reflective or bright clothing, particularly when they are riding during the evening and nighttime hours.

If you or somebody you care about has been injured in a bicycle accident caused by the negligence of another driver, you need to reach out to a skilled Orange County bike accident attorney as soon as possible. Injured bicyclists may be entitled to various types of compensation if another driver caused their crash, including coverage of their medical bills, lost income, property damage expenses, pain and suffering damages, and more. An attorney can conduct a full investigation into the incident in order to determine liability.