Due to the favorable weather conditions in Southern California, people regularly ride bicycles for enjoyment, exercise, and transportation. There are over 350 miles of dedicated bicycle paths in Los Angeles alone and it seems like more and more citizens are taking advantage of them these days.
Although there are many benefits to riding bicycles, citizens who ride them are constantly at risk of being involved in an accident. The injuries suffered from these accidents can range from soft-tissue bruising to serious, life-threatening injuries and even death. This is especially true when a bicyclist is hit by a motor vehicle. In the last year alone, bicycle accidents resulted in over 50,000 injuries and 600 fatalities in the United States.
Common Reasons for Accidents
Over 90% of serious bicycle injuries are a result of a bicyclist being hit by a motor vehicle. The most common reason for why the driver of a motor vehicle hits a bicyclist is because they “did not see them.” However, most collisions between a bicyclist and a motor vehicle are caused by the driver of the vehicle and occur most frequently in urban areas. In addition, a bicyclist is twice as likely to be involved in a fatal accident than those in an automobile. The most common type of collision involves a driver making a left turn into the path of an oncoming bicyclist.
If the driver of the motor vehicle is found to be negligent, they can be ordered to pay monetary damages for any injuries and losses sustained by the bicyclist.