With more people moving to our great city, Kansas City has seen an increase in bicycling during the warmer months. It’s fun, economical, and an eco-friendly way to get around.
Not all drivers like sharing the roads with two-wheeled riders. Some roads aren’t as good as others for riding a bicycle, either. Drivers are required to exercise a duty of care on the road, just as bicyclists are.When a driver hits a bicyclist, it’s a frightening experience that can leave the bicyclist with severe and possibly fatal injuries. If the motorist is responsible, the bicyclist has the right to demand compensation for the damages he or she has suffered.Insurance companies tend to be prejudiced against bicycle riders in an accident, placing the blame for the crash on the bicyclist. That’s why it’s important for an injured bicyclist to seek help from an experienced Kansas City bicycle accident attorney for strong legal representation after an accident.
How Bicycle Accidents Can Happen
No matter how careful you are when you ride, even if you wear your helmet and other protective gear, you can still find yourself in an accident.There are a number of causes for Kansas City bicycle accidents. Most are through some form of negligence, and the most common include:
- Passing dangerously. A driver may not leave enough room between the vehicle and bicycle when passing, hitting the bicyclist or running them off the road entirely. Some may intentionally buzz a bicyclist.
- Opening doors. Drivers may open car doors in a parked vehicle in the path of a bicyclist without looking first. The bicyclist may not be able to stop in time, run into the door and sustain injuries.
- Backing up without looking. Again, drivers who aren’t looking back out of a parking space either at home or a commercial parking lot into the path of a bicyclist who can’t move out of the way fast enough.
- Turning without regard for a bicyclist. Drivers turning left may fail to yield and turn directly into the bicyclist’s path. Drivers turning right fail to use turn signals and check mirrors, turning into the direction of the bicyclist.
- Driving while intoxicated or inebriated.
- Defective or hazardous roads.
Wearing Your Helmet
As we mentioned in a previous blog post, the state of Missouri does not have mandatory helmet laws, although some municipalities do. Just like riding a motorcycle, the use of a helmet greatly increases your chances of surviving an accident, and avoiding more serious injuries. We strongly recommend wearing a helmet anytime you take your bike out for a spin.If an insurance company discovers that you were not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, it could severely impact your claim. Worse, the insurer could argue that you are partly at fault for your accident, and you could receive a settlement that’s little to nothing. Don’t take the chance—wear your helmet whenever you ride!
Popham—Bicycle Accident Attorneys For Kansas City
Road hazards are everywhere, from bad drivers to just about anything else that can cause a problem for a bicyclist. If you’ve been injured in a bicycle accident, we’re ready to help you recover damages so you can heal.Since 1918, The Popham Law Firm has been representing people just like you in all types of personal injury cases, including bicycle accident cases. We’ll be happy to review your case and let you know how to proceed. Contact us at (844) 243-2288 or (use our online contact form) to get started.
