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Cycling Accidents
Posted by admin | Posted in Personal Injury | Posted on 23-12-2009
It is amazing how many motorists still think cyclists are nothing but a nuisance and the road belongs to them alone. Cycling is a great way to get around the city and see the country, but there is no doubt that it can be dangerous. Unlike motorists who are encased in a steel box a cyclist is virtually unprotected and when it comes to car and cycle crashes it is nearly always the cyclist who comes off worst.
As more and more people are getting into the pleasures of cycling many states are also introducing more cycling lanes to make cycling safer. This is a positive move, but cyclists still need to be aware that many motorists simply ignore this, or still don’t look when turning.
The most common causes of cyclist and motor vehicle accidents occur when:
- Motorists are not paying attention – “I just didn’t the cyclist”
- Turning in front of a cyclist while pulling into traffic
- Motorists not looking for bikes when pulling out from a stop sign
- Motorists failing to yield for cyclists
- Motorists under the influence of alcohol or drugs
While motorists should understand the laws of sharing the road with cyclists all too often they forget. This makes it doubly important for cyclists to understand and obey the rules and to always be vigilant for possible problems on the road.
If you are a parent make sure your children take proper training lessons in cycle safety. Over 1 million children a year are severely injured in cycling accidents and half of all fatalities from cycling are children under 16 years of age.
Motorists are not the only causes of cycling accidents either. Sometimes injuries can occur if the bicycle itself is defective. It is worth paying a little more for a product you can rely on to be safe than to take the risk of suffering personal injury.
Further Related Legal Information: For more information on personal injury in Long Island visit WurtzelLaw.com
