Facts relating to bicycle accidents

While California may be a beautiful place for people to enjoy bicycling, there are generally many dangers to the recreation as well. In fact, the activity resulted in about 515,000 bicyclists being injured and nearly 800 fatalities in the United States during 2010, according to a report by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. For this reason, when it comes to an accident, the risk of death or injury is far greater for a bicyclist than for a vehicle occupant.

Some bicyclists face greater dangers than other bicyclists do. The highest amount of bicycle fatalities affects those between the ages of 15 and 24 years old as well as those who are older than 45 years of age. Moreover, male bicyclists face increased risks of being injured or killed as compared with their female counterparts. Bicyclists from 5 to 24 years of age are at the greatest danger of incurring non-life-threatening injuries stemming from bicycle accidents. In fact, injured bicyclists in this age group account for about two thirds of all emergency visits by patients who have experienced an injury from a bicycle accident.

Besides being a law for children, people who wear a helmet during bicycling can decrease their chances of incurring brain and head injuries during an accident. Bicyclists who use bright clothing and bicycle lights at night lessen their risk of bicycle-related fatalities and injuries because they are more visible to motor vehicles.

In a bicycle accident with a vehicle, the bicyclist may easily suffer severe injuries such as a head trauma. If the motorist caused the accident through negligence, the victim may be able to hold the driver liable for his or her accident-related damages. A California attorney who handles personal injury claims might substantiate the plaintiff’s claims through evidence from police reports and eyewitness accounts. Evidence of negligence may include any citations that police issued to the accused driver at the time of the accident, such as a speeding ticket.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Bicycle-Related Injuries“, December 07, 2014