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Bicycle Accidents & Safety For 2016

Posted by: at 9:40 AM on April 24th, 2016

In an effort to encourage people to increase their physical activity, Milwaukee, along with many major cities around the country, has expanded designated bike lanes, added trails and even offer automated bike rental locations.  As part of both green and health initiatives, bike traffic is booming nationwide.

The problem is that with increased bike traffic comes increased accidents and serious personal injuries.  While only 1% of all trips taken in the U.S. are by bicycle, bicyclists face a higher risk of crash-related injury and deaths than occupants of motor vehicles do.  

National studies indicate that almost two-thirds of the bike accident deaths involved cyclists not wearing helmets. Clearly this fact is impactful on reducing the severity of head injuries in bike accidents but it might not be impactful in reducing the number of bike accidents involving automobiles.   Here are some overall national statistics on bicycle accidents:

Cycling Accidents

  • Around 75% of fatal or serious cyclist accidents occur in urban areas 
  • 75% happen at, or near, a road junction
  • 80% occur in daylight
  • 80% of cyclist casualties are male
  • Almost one quarter of the cyclists killed or injured are children
  • Around three quarters of cyclists killed have major head injuries.

Common Cycling Accidents

  • Motorist emerging into path of cyclist
  • Motorist turning across path of cyclist
  • Cyclist riding into the path of a motor vehicle, often riding off a designated, paved surface
  • Cyclist and motorist going straight ahead
  • Cyclist turning right from a major road and from a minor road
  • Child cyclist playing or riding too fast

Bike traffic will only increase as cities make lanes for bike travel more accessible and individuals look for cheaper, healthier, greener and more cost effective ways to get to and from their destinations.

For persons that were riding a bike and injured due to the negligence of a car driver, please know that even though you were on a bike you still need to call the police and have a report generated of the facts of the accident.

Take photos of the scene of the accident and your bike and the parts of your body that show visible injuries. Make sure to get the name and number of any person that was a witness to the accident and make sure to exchange insurance information with the driver that struck you.

Treat the matter just as if you were driving your car!

In addition, seek immediate medical care – don’t wait! The longer you wait to seek medical attention between the date of the accident and your first visit to the doctor, the easier it is for the insurance company to make the argument that the accident in question was not the cause of your injuries.

While we all have work and family responsibilities and our free time is limited, you can’t afford to delay these things when they can have such a negative impact on your ability to get the recovery you deserve resulting from someone else’s negligent driving.

If you or a loved one is injured in an accident, contact the attorneys at LDM&M.   Acting promptly to preserve your rights is essential after any accident.  

For over 40 years, the attorneys at LDM&M have been helping individuals across Wisconsin receive the legal satisfaction that they deserve.  Contact our offices for a free, personal consolation.