Bicycles: Healthy or Hazardous?
Bicycles are a popular mode of transportation in Los Angeles – not only is it a cheap way to get around the city, it is a good way to exercise as well as de-stress yourself. The growing popularity of bikes around the city however, has spawned more bicycle accidents as motorists struggle to learn how to share the road safely with bicyclists.
As bicycles are smaller, quieter, and generally, offer less stability and protection than a car, the risk for injury or a fatal accident is greater than other motor vehicles.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), as much as 714 bicyclists were killed in crashes with motor vehicles in 2008. Although bicycle accidents account for less than two percent of motor vehicle crash deaths, since 2003 the figures have steadily increased and are 14 percent in 2008.
Further, more than 500,000 people are sent to the hospital for bicycle-related injuries every year according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The National Safety Council (NSC) also reported that total cost of bicyclist injury and death is over $4 billion every year.
The following are the leading factors in bicycle accidents:
- Lack of visibility – Statistics from 2008 crashes show that most bicycle accident deaths occurred between 6pm and 9pm at 21 percent. Visibility is a huge issue in bicycle safety and it is always advised that riders wear bright and reflective clothing and their bikes have front and rear bike lights. Both riders and drivers, no matter how careful they are, would be unable to avoid an accident if they can’t see each other.
- Alcohol – It isn’t just motor vehicle drivers who have a problem with driving under the influence (DUI), allegedly, this problem also plagues bicyclists. According to the IIHS, as much as 26 percent of bicyclists aged 16 and older who were killed in bicycle accidents in 2008 had blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) at or above 0.08 percent. Biking requires skill and coordination, if the rider himself is intoxicated, he would be unable to ride safely as he would be prone to make bad decisions on the road and his senses would be impaired.
- Unsafe bicyclist behavior – Often, accidents happen not just because of negligent or careless drivers but also by reckless bicyclists. Traffic laws ALSO apply to bicyclists and not just to motor vehicle drivers so they are required to observe and follow traffic rules and signals. They can’t go through a red light or not stop or yield if they don’t feel like it.
The main factor for most bicycle accident deaths is the lack of helmets – 91 percent of bicyclists who were killed in 2008 weren't wearing helmets.
In light of the factors above-mentioned, if you are a bicyclist or a friend or a family member is one, make sure to always follow traffic rules and signals, avoid alcohol, and don bright and reflective gear to improve your visibility on the road.
But in the event that a bicycle accident occurs which resulted to injury or death, you should seek the services of a bicycle accident lawyer to find out what kind of remedy is available to you.
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