Dangers of Bicycle Accidents (Infographic)

Frequent Causes

· Distracted Drivers and Cyclists

It is not uncommon for drivers to become distracted behind the wheel. 25-50% of auto vehicle crashes are related to driver distraction. Many activities can divert the driver’s attention from the road. Common distractions include talking or texting on the phone, eating and drinking, fiddling with the stereo or navigation and talking to people in the car.

Distracted driving has also contributed to numerous cyclist fatalities. In 2015, 76 out of 818 cyclists’ deaths were caused by distracted drivers.

However, bicyclists can become distracted as easily as drivers and are just as likely to crash if distraction occurs. Many cyclists get distracted by their hands-free mobile phone or headphones which can cause them to veer into oncoming traffic or fail to maintain the bicycle lane.

· Drivers Failing to Yield to Cyclists

Bike accidents that involve a vehicle are usually a violation of negligence laws in which a driver fails to yield the right of way to a cyclist. These bike accidents are similar to a car accident that happens after a driver turns at a green light without yielding to traffic coming from the opposite direction.

A recent study conducted by the Florida Department of Transportation and the University of South Florida’s Center for Urban Transportation Research recorded 4 out of 21 close calls that involved drivers who failed to yield correctly as they turned. In all of these instances, the cyclists were abiding by traffic laws.

· Dooring Accidents

A dooring accident refers to a bicyclist who runs into a car door which has been opened directly in front of them. The door blocks the biker who doesn’t have enough time to notice, stop or swerve out of the way.

Dooring accidents are common in cities with busy streets and heavy traffic where bicyclists are forced to ride close to parked cars. In 2016, 490 injuries occurred because of dooring incidents. Of these injuries, 429 were slight injuries, 60 resulted in severe injuries and one led to a casualty.

The unfortunate victims who collide with an opening car door are lucky if the accident results in some slapstick or maybe a few scratches on their bike; however, plenty of dooring victims are not so fortunate. Many sustain serious injuries or are killed by these accidents.

· Defective Bicycle Parts

Many people think that bike accidents only involve crashing into a car or a stationary object near the road, such as a sign or fire hydrant. However, some bicycle accidents are the result of mechanical failure. If a bike has components that fail because of a defective product, this can cause a serious crash.

Any person that buys a bicycle expects it to work correctly. However, some bicycle parts such as forks, frames, handlebar stems, wheels, brakes or release hubs on the front wheels can stop working at a moment’s notice. When a part malfunctions, it can cause the bicyclist to be thrown straight over their handlebars.

Many bicycle accidents that occur because of a defective product are severe. When a part malfunctions, it typically comes as a shock to the cyclist who does not have time to control how they land or what they land on.