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The Most Common Types of Bicycle Accidents

It’s not everywhere in this country that provides a climate perfect for year-round outdoor activities like bicycling. Daytona Beach residents live in such a lucky spot.

All cyclists should be aware of the most common types of bicycle accidents that occur in Daytona Beach and elsewhere:

• Crossing the Path. This is the most common type of bicycle crash. A car pulls out of a street, parking lot or driveway and runs into the victim. Or, a vehicle pulls out in front of a cyclist and a collision occurs..
• Opening the Car Door. A driver opens a car’s door right in your path. You can’t stop in time so you hit the car door;
• Crossing the Crosswalk. Riding on the sidewalk, you continue into the street at a crosswalk and are hit by a driver that didn‘t see you.
• Going Against Traffic. As you ride against traffic, a driver is not expecting traffic from that direction and turns into you.
• Right at the Light. You stop to the right of a car at a traffic light. When the light changes, you proceed and the car makes a right turn into you;
• Right Before You. A car sees you but goes ahead and makes a right turn in front of you or into you.
• Turning Left. Like the right turn accident, a car heading toward you in the opposite lane thinks it can beat you. It makes a left turn in front of you or into you.
• Hit from Behind. You make your way an obstacle like a parked car or road construction and a car from behind rear-ends you.

Knowing the most common bicycle accidents can help you be a defensive cyclist and make you aware of possible problem areas when out on the road. You can take certain precautions, such as not riding on the sidewalk unless necessary and making sure your reflectors and headlights are in working condition.

No matter how safely you ride, there will always be other cyclists and drivers on the road with you. That is why you need to know your rights and responsibilities as a bicyclist in Daytona Beach.

Listed below is an overview of the rights for a bicyclist in Daytona Beach and throughout Florida:

• When on the road in Florida, a bicyclist has the same rights and must obey the same laws as motor vehicles. State law also says that a bicyclist on the road must ride as far to the right as is practical. This does not mean you must ride as far to the right as is possible.
• When biking, you should maintain at least 2 feet of usable pavement for yourself. If a car lane does not provide enough space for a car and bicycle to share the road safely, a bicyclist is entitled to use as much of the lane as he or she needs.
• If there is no curb, a bicyclist is not required to ride on paved shoulders. Riding on the shoulder could place a cyclist in a vulnerable position for crosswalk accidents.
• When riding in a crosswalk or on a sidewalk, a bicyclist has the same rights as a pedestrian.

A bicyclist can be well informed and obey all traffic laws, but still can’t control the drivers of the cars sharing the road.

If you’ve been injured in a bicycle accident, seek medical help and legal assistance immediately. Keep documentation of your medical treatment and any time lost from work. Your Daytona Beach bicycle accident attorney will need this evidence in the event that you choose to seek damages in a claim.

For more on traffic safety issues, see the library of articles by Daytona Beach bicycle accident attorney.

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