Bicycle Accident Lawyer, Los Angeles

Nearly thirty percent (30%) of bicycle injuries are due to motor vehicle driver mistakes. A big portion of bicycle accident cases in California involve contact with a car or motor vehicle that failed to yield the right-of-way, or unexpectedly turned into the same path of a cyclist, or a vehicle overtaking a cyclist, often by misjudging the time and space it needed to pass safely.  

Other common causes of collisions include:

1. Distracted driving: Anyone driving whose attention is on something other than the road such as their phone or the radio is a huge risk to cyclists, pedestrians and other vehicles.
2. Dooring accidents: “Dooring” refers to a car driver who opens their car door without checking for approaching vehicles. Often times cyclists traveling at full speed do not have time to react before crashing into a suddenly opened door, This can potentially result in serious injury for the person who was struck by the car door.
3. Blind spots: Because cyclists are smaller than vehicles, they are very easy to miss. Unfortunately, many drivers do not pay attention to their cars blind spot when changing lanes or making turns which can be catastrophic for the injured party.
4. Rear-end accidents: When a motorist rear-ends a bicyclist, the driver was either not paying attention or driving way too closely. These accidents commonly occur when a cyclist is attempting to move left in order to go around parked cars.
5. Right hook crashes: When a driver does not check for oncoming cyclists and attempts to make a right turn, a “right hook” wreck can occur. This is a very serious situation and gives the cyclist little to no time to respond or react, often leading to very serious and potentially fatal injuries.
6. Speeding: Speeding is often see in accidents involving bike wrecks. Drivers who are speeding because they are late have less time to react and often time can result in catastrophic injures for the innocent cyclist.
7. Running a Red Light or Stop Sign: Motorists who do not stop at stop signs or lights are a danger to everyone around them. Bicyclists should always be cautious and not assume that a driver will yield to the right of way or obey all traffic laws.
8. Failure to Yield: These accidents also called “right cross” and “left cross” accidents have the same cause. This happens when a vehicle crosses into the path of the bicyclist at an intersection or from an alley or driveway. In both of these scenarios, the bike has already entered the intersection when the driver makes the turn and visibility is the main factor.
9. Driver Fatigue: According to the National Sleep Foundation anyone who drives is at risk of falling asleep at the wheel. Other high risk individuals include, young drivers, workers with long hours, commercial truck drivers, people wo have sleep disorders and those who travel for business.
10. Under the influence of drugs or alcohol: One out of three accidents are due to drunk driving. This places bicyclists at greater risk simply due to the lack of protection they have driving a bicycle. There is no excuse for drunk driving or driving while under the influence of drugs. Holding another motorist liable under the concept of negligence is something best handled by a skilled Los Angeles bicycle accident lawyer.