Cycling is a popular aerobic activity that offers numerous health benefits, including improved respiratory and cardiovascular health. Many people also choose to ride bicycles as an affordable and environmentally-friendly way to commute to work or run errands. Because of these benefits, the number of bicycle users on the road continues to increase every year. However, with more cyclists on the road, the risk of accidents also rises, highlighting the importance of understanding the potential dangers and legal implications of bicycle accidents.
Bicycle accidents often result in serious injuries, including head trauma, broken bones, and spinal cord injuries. These injuries can have long-lasting effects, requiring extensive medical care and rehabilitation. In some cases, the consequences can be life-altering, leaving victims unable to work or enjoy their previous quality of life. If a bicycle accident occurs on unsafe property, it may involve premises liability, holding the property owner responsible for the accident. This can happen when property owners fail to maintain safe conditions, such as poorly lit pathways, uneven pavement, or hazardous obstacles.
In other instances, bicycle accidents can be caused by reckless driving, such as DUI or hit-and-run incidents. Drivers who fail to observe road rules or drive under the influence pose a significant threat to cyclists. These types of accidents can make the legal process more complex, as they involve establishing the driver’s fault and navigating both criminal and civil aspects of the case. Bicycle accidents in construction zones may involve additional legal complexities, especially if a worker's actions contributed to the incident. Construction sites can create dangerous conditions for cyclists, such as debris on the road, poor signage, or obstructed bike lanes.
Navigating insurance claims after a bicycle accident can be particularly challenging, especially when dealing with uncooperative insurance companies. Insurers may attempt to minimize payouts or deny valid claims, adding stress to an already difficult situation. Understanding your rights and the legal options available is crucial to ensure you receive the compensation needed for medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages. With the help of experienced legal professionals, victims can tackle these challenges and focus on their recovery.
When motor vehicles and bicycles share the road, however, accidents are inevitable. Bicycle accident injuries typically include broken bones and soft-tissue damage. But, severe injuries may also include traumatic brain injuries.
If you suffer an injury in a bicycle accident, it can result in a wide range of life-changing consequences, including:
• Long-term pain and suffering
• Long-term or permanent disability
• Inability to work and earn an income
• Inability to take care of dependents, such as children
Because the consequences of a bicycle accident can be far-reaching, you have to know the rights and the options you have as legal recourse. Keep reading to learn more about the legal aspects surrounding bicycle accidents and how Bell & Pollock P.C. can help you file a successful compensation claim in court.
Because of the increase in bicycle road users, the city of Denver is continually building new bicycle paths and other infrastructure to accommodate them. Despite this, there are around 270 bicycle accidents in Denver per year, with more than half of them resulting in injury. The casualty figures in the city are also high, at 61 in 2018 and 62 in 2019.
Bicycles don’t have the same features as motor vehicles in terms of mass and momentum, and a bike is more maneuverable than a car with a shorter stopping distance requirement. Additionally, neither a biker nor a bicycle has to meet the same legal prerequisites before using a public road.
However, the law regards both bicycles and cars as vehicles on the road, and cyclists and motorists have the same rights and obligations, despite the significant differences between a car and a bike. Cyclists may not have to be licensed to ride, but they still must adhere to the rules of the roads and can receive a ticket for committing a driving offense.
When bicycling in Colorado, you need to know your legal rights, as well as your duties. The Colorado Bicycle Safety Act deals with the safe interaction of bicycles with other vehicles on the road.
According to the sections of this act:
• The safe passing distance between a car and a bicycle is three feet.
• Cyclists can ride side-by-side but have to move to a single file when a vehicle approaches them.
• Cyclists can ride as far right in the right lane as they want, provided that it is safe.
• Cyclists can ride to the far-left or far-right in a one-way street to allow for safe turning without crossing lanes of traffic.
• Motorists may not threaten, crowd, swerve at, or throw missiles at cyclists.
