One of the most common causes of bicycle accidents is carelessness, recklessness, and negligence by motor vehicle drivers. Even though some roads in and around Lawrenceville have lanes that are designated solely for bicycle traffic, a distracted driver can easily veer over into a bicycle lane and collide with a bicycle rider. To make matters worse, some motor vehicle operators get frustrated with bicyclists’ presence on the road because they believe that bicyclists unnecessarily slow down traffic and are an inconvenience to other drivers. This antagonistic attitude can lead to aggressive and dangerous driving.
When motor vehicle operators are not paying attention to the road or disregarding traffic laws, they increase the chances that they will collide with a bicyclist and bring about severe injuries and damages. However, there are other causes of bicycle accidents besides motor vehicle driver negligence and carelessness.
Common causes of bicycle accidents that occur in and around Lawrenceville include:
- Distracted driving – Distracted driving occurs where a motor vehicle operator is paying more attention to an electronic device or car stereo while operating a motor vehicle, resulting in a collision with a bicyclist or pedestrian the driver failed to see.
- Disobeying the law – Disobeying the law usually involves a motor vehicle operator disregarding traffic signs, traffic signals, and other traffic control devices in the vicinity, resulting in a collision with a bicyclist.
- Drunk and drugged driving – When motor vehicle drivers choose to operate their vehicles after consuming alcohol or drugs, their senses can become impaired, as well as their reaction time slowed down. Drivers who are under the influence may not notice or take the presence of a cyclist seriously, leading to a collision and causing severe and sometimes fatal injuries.
- Tailgating – Motor vehicle operators always seem to be in a hurry. When drivers follow a cyclist too closely, they might not stop their vehicles in time, causing a rear-end collision with the cyclist. Such a collision may cause the cyclist to lose their balance and fall to the ground, resulting in serious injuries.
- Unsafe lane changes – When motor vehicle operators try to maneuver around traffic and weave in and out of lanes, the driver’s recklessness causes their vehicle to collide with a bicycle on the side of the road.
- Dooring accidents – As previously covered, a dooring accident occurs when a motor vehicle driver or passenger opens their door into the path of an oncoming cyclist, severely injuring the cyclist by causing them to hit the door and fall to the ground.
Although motor vehicle collisions with bicycles are among the most common causes of bicycle accidents, there are other causes. Equipment malfunctions and part failures lead to bicycle accidents. When handlebars, brakes, or seats malfunction or do not work correctly while an individual is operating their bicycle, and they cause an accident, there may be a legal liability on the part of the bike or parts manufacturer and distributor.
For example, the brakes on the bicycle may malfunction, causing the rider to collide with a motor vehicle or a stationary object located near the side of the road.
Bicycle and bicycle parts manufacturers also owe a duty to the public to ensure that the products they allow to enter the marketplace are in good working order, adequately tested, and ready for sale to the public. Such diligence and oversight does not always happen, however, and bicycle parts are sometimes defective or do not work correctly.
If the bicycle accident victim can prove, often through expert testimony, that negligent manufacturing or design work caused or contributed to the accident, the accident victim may name the bicycle parts manufacturer (or anyone else who is in the product’s chain of distribution) as a defendant in any filed lawsuit.
In addition to defective bicycles and bicycle parts, inadequate road conditions, such as cracks, spalling, and deep potholes, can lead to serious bicycle accidents. Defective road conditions are especially prevalent near construction zones. In cases where a bicycle accident victim can prove that a defective road condition or job site led to an accident, the accident victim may be in a position to file a legal claim or lawsuit against the entity that is responsible for maintaining the roadway where the accident happened.
In some cases, the responsible entity may be a construction company. At other times, a division of the government, like the city or county, may prove responsible. You should remember, however, that when it comes to suing a governmental entity, you may need to fulfill specific notice requirements before you may file a lawsuit in court. If you file your lawsuit before fulfilling the applicable notice requirement, the court could dismiss your case.
The knowledgeable legal team of Lawrenceville bicycle accident attorneys at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC can determine the specific cause or causes of your accident and name all potentially responsible individuals or entities to the claim or lawsuit. Our goal is to maximize your monetary compensation chances by pursuing the highest amount of recovery on your behalf.
