5 Things Every Driver Should Know About Bicycle Accidents
As the summer comes back around, more people are starting to take themselves for a bike ride on the road. This means a greater number of cyclists embarking on long journeys and weaving their way through the many automobiles on the road.
Cyclists are completely exposed to accidents and injury when out and about on their bicycles. While they must learn the rules of the road and cycle appropriately, all drivers must also learn how to share the road to lower the number of accidents that occur.
As a driver, here are 5 things you must know about bicycle accidents.
1. Your Insurance Company Must Be Notified
If you accidentally hit a cyclist your first step must be to stop and check if they have sustained any injuries. If it’s necessary, you can then call an ambulance. For a minor accident make sure to remove your vehicle from the road and call the police as soon as you can.
Remember — never admit fault for the accident at the scene. This could cause multiple legal complications with your insurance. Make sure to speak to a trusted and knowledgeable lawyer like St. Louis injury attorney James Onder before proceeding with your case.
Keep documentation of any damage that was recorded and make sure to get relevant information from anyone who witnessed or was involved in the accident. You must also make sure to contact your insurance company immediately.
2. Cyclists Have The Same Rights On The Road
Sharing the road is a critical factor in preventing bicycle accidents from occurring. We’ve all been stuck behind a cyclist at least once in our lives. But as frustrating as it might be, they have just the same rights on the road as a motorist does.
If you want to pass a cyclist on the road make sure that the road around you is clear and that you aren’t approaching any sharp bends any time soon. Make sure you only pass when it is completely safe to do so, slow down when necessary, and give a cyclist enough room and time to get where they need to go without pressuring them or knocking them off their bike.
3. You Need To Have The Right Coverage
An auto insurance policy will contain lots of relevant coverage including bodily injury liability, which applies to any injuries that are inflicted on other people by you, the driver.
If you are eventually found to be at fault and some people have been injured then this coverage will protect you against needing to pay in full for any medical bills from your own pockets. If you don’t have this type of cover you could be left in a dire financial situation.
Investing in an umbrella insurance policy may be the way to go here as it will give you that extra peace of mind when faced with such situations. Essentially, it will protect you from losing everything that you have in a single lawsuit.
4. Be Cautious When Approaching Corners Or Turning
Many bicycle accidents occur when a driver approaches a corner too harshly or quickly without having the full scope of the road and the cyclist in front of them.
You should also be cautious when making any turns. Signal to let the cyclist know where you are going so that you do not end up colliding with one another.
If a cyclist is positioned behind you and slightly to the right they might be heading straight on and may hit your car if you approach without much notice. Remember that a cyclist might be traveling faster than they may look to be. If you turn around in front of them then they likely won’t have the time or the space to stop.
5. Examining Your Surroundings Could Prevent Accidents
We’re often in a hurry to get out of our vehicles once we’re parked. However, if you open up your door too quickly without looking at your surroundings, you might potentially open it out and onto an oncoming cyclist.
In these circumstances, a bicycle accident is completely preventable, provided you take a good look at your surroundings before leaving your vehicle. After all, a cyclist won’t have a sixth sense for when your car door will open, so you must be as cautious as possible to prevent anything from happening.
Summary
If you’re a driver it’s paramount that you keep these things in mind when out and about in your vehicle to prevent a bicycle accident from occurring. Knowing how to do so will help you to put a stop to unnecessary accidents.
