Posted on January 20, 2018
Bicycle accidents are more common than you may have previously thought. The injuries stemming from these unique accidents account for about 900 deaths, 23,000 hospital visits, 580,000 visits to the emergency department, and more than 1.2 million physician visits every year. Altogether, these accidents account for more than $8 billion annually. There are many risks of riding bicycle along the roadways, because bicycle riders are not offered the same amounts of protection as those inside a motor vehicle. Motor vehicle drivers obviously have the advantage on the roadways and can cause the most harm to riders when negligence comes into play.
Injuries Stemming From Bicycle Accidents
Some of the most common injuries are strains, fractures, and dislocations as riders are thrown from their bicycles. Most of these are identified when a rider comes into the emergency room with swelling, pain, bruising, and lack of function.
Common Accidents Involving Bicycle Riders
There are many accidents that are more common than others, that you are most likely to experience if you have been involved in an accident.
Left Hook: These are some of the most common accident scenarios involving bicycle riders and include a left-turning vehicle that fails to yield to traffic. In many cases, the bicyclist in this accident will either be hit outright or the cyclist will collide with the fender of the vehicle. Most of the time, these accidents are identified when a driver says they never saw a cyclist.
Right Hook: These accidents are also quite common. They occur when a motorist passes a cyclist on the left and makes a sudden right hand turn without signaling. In these cases, a driver is fully capable of seeing a cyclist, but it doesn’t register and they run right into them.
T-Bone: These are another type of common accident where a cyclist rides out into a roadway and fails to yield as they’re moving across traffic. In these cases, the cyclist would technically be at fault for causing their own accident, though drivers are always supposed to stay aware of cyclists.
As you can see, there are many types of bicycle accidents and many types of injuries that can be sustained. Each bicycle accident is devastating in its own way and can cause a variety of temporary or long-term injuries that will affect you for quite some time. If you have been injured, we can help you at the Accident Law Group. Call us today at 602-262-4254.
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