Bicycles are subject to most of the same rules as motor vehicles. Cyclists ride on the right side of the road. They must communicate with other people using hand signals or illuminated turn indicators and brake lights.
They should follow all traffic laws and any instructions provided by traffic lights and signage. Cyclists are often very fastidious about legal compliance, as they do not want to end up injured in major collisions. Unfortunately, people in vehicles are often overconfident about their safety. They may make choices that contribute to the likelihood of a bicycle collision occurring.
What common choices and habits of motorists increase the risk of a bicycle crash?
1. Opening doors into traffic
Parking on the edge of the road in marked lanes is common practice in urban centers. Sometimes, delivery drivers and others may pull off onto the shoulder of a busy road. In either scenario, the occupants of the vehicle should carefully monitor their surroundings before attempting to open the vehicle’s door and exit the vehicle. A dooring incident can cause blunt force traumatic injuries to a cyclist who collides with an open vehicle door in their path. They can even end up thrown out into traffic, which can increase their risk of an additional collision and even worse injuries.
2. Failing to stop at intersections
Doorings aren’t the only situation in which inadequate surveillance can cause a bicycle collision. Cyclists are also at risk in cases where drivers perform rolling stops at intersections. Many people pick up their phones to check text messages or emails at intersections and may fail to properly check their surroundings before proceeding through the intersection. They may then end up striking a cyclist who was plainly visible across the intersection due to their lack of surveillance.
3. Aggressive maneuvering
Drivers on busy streets are often eager to bypass slow-moving vehicles and reach their destinations as quickly as possible. In some cases, their aggressive maneuvers may result in failing to notice a cyclist. For example, if a driver attempts to pass a slower-moving vehicle, they may not have checked to validate if there was a bicycle in front of that slower-moving vehicle. They can then strike the bicycle when merging back around the past vehicle, potentially with tragic consequences. Those driving aggressively may struggle to track traffic conditions effectively.
When drivers are at fault for preventable cycling collisions, injured cyclists may have grounds for an insurance claim or even a personal injury lawsuit. Connecting a bicycle crash with the irresponsible conduct of a driver could help an injured cyclist seek compensation for their losses.