Educate yourself about the most catastrophic bicycle accidents

When you ride a bike, it’s all-too-easy to end up in a wreck with a motor vehicle. Cars, sports utility vehicles, trucks and commercial vehicles all tend to hog the road and act as if bicyclists don’t have the right to be there.

Knowledge is the key to avoiding a serious injury.

What are some of the more common crashes bicyclists have?

One accident type that’s most apt to leave a bike rider hurt is one in which a motorist opens their door right in a bicyclist’s path. You may not have a chance to react to avoid crashing into it and ending up hurt if this happens suddenly.

Pedestrians and bicyclists often learn to walk or ride facing traffic. There are dangers in doing this. While it allows you to maintain a visual on vehicles coming in your direction, drivers may not anticipate you entering their field of vision at an intersection and crash into you as they turn.

Many jurisdictions’ laws require bicyclists to abide by some of the road rules that drivers must follow. One of those may include waiting at a red light. If a motorist doesn’t notice a bicyclist in front or around them, they may crash into them when they press the accelerator.

Some other ways bicyclists end up hurt in accidents

One particularly catastrophic crash type that often results in a bicyclist suffering severe injuries is when a car driver makes a left turn into a rider’s path. T-bone accidents tend to be forceful and thus result in more serious injuries or death.

Another potentially deadly crash is a right hook one. It involves a motorist cutting in too tight on a bicyclist when making a right turn, which can easily crush them.

Understanding your rights after a bike accident

Illinois law allows an injured bicyclist to recover medical costs, lost wages and other expenses associated with their crash from the liable party.

A bicycle and motor vehicle collisions attorney with a century of legal experience can help assess your case and determine your options.