Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents

Bicycle accidents change the course of the victim’s life, often leading to serious injuries and financial loss. One of the most important things to know is that most bicycle accidents are preventable, and they often happen because of negligence. A Springfield personal injury lawyer can help you recover compensation for your injuries. The most common causes of bicycle accidents include the following:

Distracted Drivers

A driver behind the wheel engaging in anything other than watching the road in front of them is distracted. Distraction causes a variety of limitations for drivers, making it challenging for them to see and react to changing situations fast enough.

When a bike rider pulls out in front of them or suddenly appears on their right side, this can cause the distracted driver to fail to notice them.

Distraction may occur as a result of texting or talking on a phone, adjusting the radio, eating, or engaging in other actions. It can also happen just from daydreaming.

Lane Changes

Bike riders are responsible for sharing the road with drivers. Massachusetts bike laws require cyclists to ride on public roads, streets, and in bikeways following the same traffic laws that drivers follow.

That means that cyclists drive on the right side of the road, must stop at red lights, and must stop at stop signs. Riders also need to use hand signals, which drivers must understand, to make a turn.

One of the most common causes of bicycle accidents is illegal lane changes that happen because the driver does not abide by the road rules. A bike rider making a left-hand turn could be in a variety of dangerous places.

Reckless Driving

Another of the most common causes of bicycle accidents in Springfield involves any type of reckless driving, which can include any type of actions that violate traffic laws. These are often intentional actions. Examples include drivers who:

• Are speeding
• Tailgating the person or bike rider in front of them
• Driving aggressively
• Passing on the right-hand side of the car
• Engaging in frequent lane changes without signaling
• Failing to stop at stop signs
• Failing to stop at a red light

In these situations, a driver puts every other person on the road with them at risk. Reckless driving is often one of the most significant causes of serious bike injuries because drivers are often traveling at higher speeds, inflicting more damage as they do.

Road and Weather Hazards

Another of the common causes of bicycle accidents involves poor conditions. If the weather is poor, such as icy or snow-covered, bike riders are putting themselves at risk, but so are drivers. Drivers still must be able to operate safely to remain on the road.

Road conditions could also be a factor if there are potholes or other areas of damage that create a fall risk. Road hazards may also stem from property owners who fail to maintain a safe path through their property.

In addition to these factors, concerns about a lack of lighting can also contribute to serious injuries and losses. Victims may not be able to avoid riding down a dark road, for example.

Seeking Legal Guidance Can Help

If you are the victim of these or other common causes of a bicycle accident, do not simply settle your case. Instead, work with a legal team that can prove what happened to you and why.