Something which all drivers should be aware of is the risk of being involved in an accident with a bicycle. According to Regan Zambri Long personal injury lawyers in Washington DC, there has been a rise in these cases in the last 5 years. When you think about it, it makes perfect sense. Drivers are usually don’t spot them until it is too late to react. So, the result is always pretty much the same, it ends with one of the parties opting for filing a lawsuit.
What we so often see in such cases is that the driver is the one at fault, and the injuries which are sustained by the cyclist can be very severe. It is for this reason that drivers must be careful because causing such an accident could certainly land them in hot water. Nevertheless, we can see that this is something that happens often.
So, it needs to be said that there are a couple of measures that need to be done after it happens. Any lawyer out there that this is something that can cause a lot of problems for the driver. The reason is quite obvious, the cyclist is not as protected as the driver is. To avoid these problems efficiently, the driver should be aware of a couple of crucial factors.
An injured cyclist can claim for damages and depending on the severity of those injuries, the payouts can be extremely high. Now whilst the insurance company will be the one paying out, those premiums for your motor insurance are likely to rise sharply in the coming years, even if you switch insurers. Let’s see what you should be aware of.
Damages of a Legal Claim
Source: lawyerherald.com
There is much more to this than your insurance premiums going up, and this is why it is so important to watch out for cyclists on the road. Most drivers who have caused an accident go through a great deal of mental and emotional anguish because of what they have done. When you think about it, this is something that can be a problem for the rest of your life.
Nobody intends to cause an accident but if you have been negligent and severely injured someone then it is not something which you are going to be able to move past with ease. This kind of accident will take a toll on you emotionally and financially. As you can see, it can be much more of a problem than just having a legal problem on your hands.
Increase in Bicycle Use
Source: unsplash.com
Following a great boom in car usage, we are beginning to see a rise in people swapping their four-wheeled cars for the two-wheeled bicycle. With more and more cyclists on the road than ever before drivers must be aware of where those bikes are and respect their space on the road. It needs to be said that this has become some sort of standard in many cities.
If you take a look at some official reports online, you will see that practically every city in the world has experienced a rise in bicycle use. Naturally, these cities do their best to adapt to some parts of the city to cyclists and their habits. Sadly, not all of them can do so in the best possible way. Not meeting these standards is one of the main reasons for these problems. So, the city needs to meet these standards to avoid any potential problems.
Awareness
Source: unsplash.com
Over 50% of all bicycle accidents in which the driver of a vehicle is at fault are caused because the driver wasn’t even aware of the location of the bicycle. We must remember that these are not big colorful machines like cars and trucks, and they require us to be more aware than ever before to avoid these kinds of accidents.
You will certainly agree that this is much easier to say than to do, especially in situations where you cannot act in a proper way to avoid the collision. The only practical thing you can do is put yourself in a mindset that will make you aware of all the potential scenarios. Having in mind that something like this is possible will do wonders in prevention, believe us.
Checking your mirrors may not be enough and you will have to ensure that you are checking your blindspots before you makeover the vehicle. While we can agree with the fact that this might sound silly to many people, it surely is one of the ways it needs to be done. Those drivers who don’t have this mindset tend to be reckless in traffic, which is what leads to these problems.
Different Behaviors
Source: barthelettelaw.com
Something else to consider is that the way a bicycle moves on the road is not the same as a car. Turns can be tighter and they can stop faster and accelerate slower. If you see a bicycle as you are driving, then you must bear in mind how the bicycle maneuvers and give it the space to do so. Sometimes, cyclists tend to be braver in traffic than people who drive cars for whatever reason.
While we wouldn’t say that this is a smart thing to do, it is what it is. So, it is obvious that the obligation to pay attention to these factors will fall on the driver. Naturally, not all the cyclists out there will be careless in these situations. Nevertheless, being careful will surely represent a layer of protection that will be more than enough in a vast majority of situations.
The Conclusion
You will certainly agree that we have to make the road a safer place and for many drivers that means having a better understanding and awareness of the bicycles which are using the roads. The numbers that show how many of these accidents happen every year are not pleasant to witness. To prevent this from happening in the future, all of us need to adopt the mindset that will help us overcome it in the future.
