Bicycle Accident Lawyer Las Vegas

Bicycle Collision Trends and Statistics

Each year about 2 percent of motor vehicle crash deaths are bicyclists. In a majority of bicyclist deaths, the most serious injuries are to the head.  A total of 835 bicyclists were killed in crashes with motor vehicles in 2016. This represents is the highest number of bicyclist deaths since 1991.

Most bicyclist deaths in 2016 (87%) were those ages 20 and older. Deaths among bicyclists younger than 20 have declined 87 percent since 1975. Deaths among bicyclists 20 and older have more than tripled. In every year since 1975, many more male than female bicyclists were killed in crashes with motor vehicles. The decline since 1975 among female bicyclists (28 percent) was larger than the decline among male bicyclists (15 percent).

Numbers from the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety reveal some alarming trends. According to the latest numbers:

• Fifty-one percent of bicyclists killed in 2016 were not wearing helmets. Helmet use was unknown for 33 percent.
• Among bicyclists ages 16 and older who were killed in 2016, 22 percent had blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) at or above 0.08 percent.
• Bicyclist deaths in 2016 were highest during June (12 percent) and lowest during February (5 percent).
• Bicyclist deaths in 2016 peaked during the hours from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. (22 percent).
• Thirty-six percent of bicyclist deaths in 2016 occurred at intersections.
• Fifty-nine percent of bicyclist deaths in 2016 occurred on major roads other than interstates and freeways, and 32 percent occurred on minor roads.

The Problem with Bicycle Collisions

Cyclists are some of the most vulnerable people on the road. They lack the protection of a vehicle don’t have the speed of a motorcycle to escape a dangerous situation. What might be an ordinary fender bender with another car can be fatal when a cyclist is involved.

Injuries to cyclists run the gamut from:

• Road rash—a deep scrape caused when a vehicle drags the cyclists on the road.
• Joint injuries—often the result of a sharp impact with the ground.
• Serious brain damage—bicycle helmets cannot always stand up to the forces of a car collision.
• Broken bones—without a vehicle body to stop the cyclist, broken bones are expected.
• Death—complications from injuries often result in death for bicycle accident victims.

The severity of injuries becomes magnified in a bicycle accident, and many injuries require long-term care. Our Las Vegas car accident lawyers at Valiente Mott can pursue fair compensation for any death or injury caused by a negligent driver, even covering ongoing medical expenses.

Most Common Causes of Bicycle Collisions

The laws in Nevada are designed to protect bicyclists who share the roadways with motor vehicles. For instance, there are laws that require motor vehicles to pass bicyclists with at least three feet of clearance. Other laws require motor vehicles to move away from the right-hand lane when passing a bicyclist. Yet even with these protective laws in place, all too many accidents involving bicyclists occur every day.  Our Nevada car accident lawyers are knowledgable and experienced with utlizing these laws in the court room.

Bicyclists have to remain vigilant when it comes to paying attention to what the vehicles around them are doing. But sometimes accidents involving motor vehicles are unavoidable. The trouble is that bicycles are so much smaller than other vehicles on the roadway. Bicyclists can be difficult for drivers to see. Some of the most common causes of bicycle accidents include:

• A bicyclist is hit by a motor vehicle making a left or right-hand turn.
• A rider gets rear-ended.
• A cyclist can be hit by a vehicle door.

Bicyclist Vigilance

Motor vehicles are required by law to treat bicycles the same as they would treat other motor vehicles on the road. But drivers who are involved in accidents with bicycles often claim that they could not see the bicyclist. Due to bicyclists’ small size, there is little to protect bicyclists from serious harm, or even death, during a collision.

For their own safety, bicyclists need to be prepared for drivers not to see them. This does not mean that drivers are free from liability when it comes to bicyclists. Drivers who cause harm to bicyclists should be held accountable for the damage that they have caused. If you have been injured, you need to seek compensation from the driver who is liable.

What to Do if you are In a Bicycle Collision

If you find yourself involved in an accident with a motor vehicle, it is important that you immediately get the medical attention that you require. Don’t worry about anything else before you seek medical treatment for your bike accident injuries. Even if you think that you are unhurt, you should make a point to be checked out by a medical professional, just to be sure. Next, you should speak with police and report the accident.

If you are not injured too badly, and you have a camera phone, you should take as many pictures of the accident, your bike, and your injuries as possible. These photos can be useful evidence later down the road.

Finally, you need to speak with an experienced Las Vegas bicycle accident attorney about your situation. You have a limited amount of time in which to bring a claim against those who are responsible for causing your injuries. An experienced bike accident lawyer will make sure that your rights are preserved. Let us help you after your bicycle accident. Contact the car accident attorneys at Valiente Mott today.