There are many reasons to choose a bike rather than a car for transportation. Bike riding benefits the rider because it is a great way to stay active and improve overall physical health. It has been shown to improve mental health and decrease anxiety and depression. Bike riding also benefits the environment because it reduces the amount of greenhouse emissions, which are overwhelmingly produced by cars. And most bike riders enjoy the financial benefits of bike riding – it is cheaper than maintaining a car and helps avoid excessive wear and tear on their cars.
Front End Collision Injuries and Bike Riders
While most of us agree on the advantages of bike riding, a cautionary fact remains: bikers face an increased risk of serious injury in crashes with cars. Bikers must take additional safety measures because of their vulnerability on the road; they do not have a protective barrier that shields them in the case of a collision which can result in disastrous consequences.
The most severe injuries result from front impact accidents. This means that the biker is hit by the front of a motor vehicle. This type of crash is also the most likely to cause death or serious injury. The German Insurers Accident Research studied the consequences of various types of bike and motor vehicle crashes in Germany between 2002 and 2010. The study reviewed crashes that involved the front of the vehicle, the left side of the vehicle, the right side of the vehicle, and the back of the vehicle. In 356 crashes where the site of the crash was determined, 61% occurred at the front of the vehicle. The remaining crashes between bikes and cars happened at some other point of impact on the car. They found that 84% of the bikers who incurred the most serious injuries had collided with the front end of a vehicle.
Front end collisions commonly occur when a driver pulls out of a driveway or side street and crashes into a cyclist. California Vehicle Code § 21804 requires all motorists to yield the right-of-way to oncoming traffic before accessing a road. Cyclists can also try to avoid these accidents by trying to signal their presence to drivers through gesturing their hands. When a bicyclist is hit in this type of collision, the driver is likely to be found negligent.
Preventing Front End Collisions
Given this data, preventing front end collisions between bikers and drivers should be a priority. Understanding how these collisions typically occur is important for both drivers and bikers to improve education and awareness about safety rules.
If you or a member of your family was severely injured or killed in a biking accident, contact Alexander Law Group, LLC. Our exceptional personal injury lawyers will be sure you get the maximum compensation possible. Call 888.777.1776, or contact us online.
