Bicycle Accident Lawyer Philadelphia Pennsylvania

For many people, cycling is a beloved hobby, or even a convenient method of transportation. In fact, the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration has reported that millions of people choose to bike on roads that are shared by motor vehicles every year. Many people in Philadelphia and across Pennsylvania choose to ride their bikes to work to save on gas expenses. While riding bicycles can be a refreshing hobby and an inexpensive means of transportation, it can also be a major cause of injures.

More than 580,000 people get injured each year because of bike accidents. Most bicyclists injured in crashes do not were helmets. This contributes to the large percentage of cyclists suffering from severe head injuries resulting from a crash. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that head injuries account for about 70% of cycling fatalities each year. About 34% of all bicycle-related emergency department visits and 65% of all bicycle-related emergency room visits involve head injuries. Helmets reduce the risk of head injury by 80%, traumatic brain injury by 90% and severe brain injury by more than 75%. Two-thirds of all bike accident deaths are from traumatic brain injury. In Pennsylvania, the law prohibits a person under 12 years of age from riding a bike or riding in a restraining seat or a trailer attached to a bike without wearing a helmet.

Many crashes happen at night when the bike is not equipped with a lamp. Under Pennsylvania law, every bicycle when in use between sunset and sunrise must be equipped on the front with a lamp which emits a beam of white light intended to illuminate the operator's path and visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front. A bike must also have a red reflector facing to the rear which should be visible at least 500 feet to the rear, and an amber reflector on each side.

In April 2012, a new Pennsylvania bicycle law went into effect. The new law requires drivers to allow a 4-foot berth between their vehicles and bicyclists (19 other states with similar laws require a 3-foot berth). In general, this is a good practice. Motorists are also required under the law to yield right-of-way to bicyclists. At the same time, bicyclists are required to follow the rules of the road. Under the new law, drivers have permission to cross a double yellow line in order to give a cyclist sufficient room while the driver passes the bicycle on the road. Crossing the lines is only allowed if oncoming traffic is far enough away. This law was passed as a result of several fatal wrecks in 2011 involving bicyclists of different ages.

While most drivers are aware of bike riders and do everything they can to protect the safety of cyclists who are riding near them, there are many instances reported each year where drivers have behaved negligently, and have caused serious collisions with cyclists. When a motor vehicle and a bicycle rider collide, the person with the greatest risk of obtaining a serious injury is the cyclist. Bike accidents can be devastating, if not altogether lethal.

Bicycle accidents can happen anywhere: on paved roads, sidewalks, bike paths, the shoulder of paved roads, bike lanes and unpaved roadways. Bicyclists and motorists are required to take several safety measures to prevent serious bike crashes.

Cause of Pennsylvania Cycling Accidents:

1. Failure to yield by the car.

2. Failure to yield by the bike rider.

3. Motor vehicle turning into path of the bike rider.

4. Failure to yield by bike rider coming out of side street or driveway.

5. Motor vehicle trying to pass bike rider and running into him or her.

6. Bike rider suddently turning into path of motor vehicle.

Riding Rules

Important rules for bicyclists to remember to keep themselves safe, regardless of the laws of motorists:

Do not ride through red traffic lights

Ride in the same direction as traffic

Use lights when riding at night

Do not ride a bicycle on a sidewalk

Pennsylvania bicycle law requires every person operating a bike on a highway to obey the applicable rules of the road and conform to the expectations of other road users in order to ensure the safety of all. On one-way roads, a person operating a bicycle may ride as near the left-hand curb or edge of the roadway as practicable, exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction. Cyclists also may ride in the left lane of a one-way street which contains two or more lanes.

Personal Injury Lawyer Pennsylvania

After a person has been involved in a cycling accident, and he/she has been seriously injured due to a motor vehicle driver's negligence, it is important that the person consult with a knowledgeable bicycle accident attorney.

The Lassen Law Firm bike accident attorneys, only deducts a 29% contingency fee, not the standard 45% like other firms. We serve ALL of Pennsylvania. We can sign you up over the phone and start working on your case today.

Stop Searching. Start Calling. 215-510-6755.

Authored by: Christian Lassen