Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents
More and more people today are choosing to bike, each for their own reasons. Some people want to save money at the gas pump, others want to skip their morning commutes and parking hassles, while still others have health and environmental reasons for choosing to bike. Sadly, in collisions between bicycles and cars, cyclists often face fatal consequences, and each year in the United States there are over 700 fatal bike accidents.
Tips for Sharing the Road
Bicyclists are required to follow the majority of the same traffic laws as are motor vehicles. Unfortunately, many accidents could be avoided if cyclists followed these laws and wore proper safety gear. However, a large number of bicycle accidents are caused by drivers who fail to notice cyclists or who drive near them aggressively, often resulting in fatal injuries. Bicyclists often report careless, reckless, or aggressive behavior from drivers, including:
- Failing to yield to a cyclist with right-of-way
- Turning right into a cyclist
- Abruptly swerving around a cyclist
- Tailgating
- Slamming on brakes in front of a cyclist
- Attempting to force a cyclist off the road
- Shouting vulgarities, throwing trash or other objects, or other aggressive behavior
Many drivers may exhibit these behaviors simply because they are not used to bicyclists on the roadway. Others are annoyed by their presence and seem to fail to remember that aggressive behavior can actually result in the death or serious injury of another person.
Contact Us
If you or your loved one has been injured or killed in a bike accident because of a negligent driver, contact the Atlanta bicycle accident attorneys of Webb, Wade & Taylor, LLC by calling 770-631-1811.
