Often, when a driver of a car or other motor vehicle collides with a bicyclist, people tend to assign blame to the driver. This may be because drivers are notorious for not “sharing the road” with bicycles or for not paying enough attention to bicyclists. Additionally, since bicyclists have very little protection in accidents, they are often viewed as the more vulnerable and victimized party in the accident. However, there are many instances in which a bicyclist can make a mistake or act in a negligent manner and cause an accident. In these accidents, a motorist can suffer injuries and severe damage to their vehicle. If you have been involved in an accident that you believe was caused by a negligent bicyclist, you should contact an experienced accident attorney as soon as possible to see how you may recover.
A bicyclist can be negligent and cause a bicycle accident in numerous ways, such as:
- Swerving in and out of marked bicycle lanes
- Not using proper signals
- Not following traffic laws and signals
- Riding while intoxicated
- Distracted riding
- Not having adequate lights or reflectors while riding at night
These are only a few examples of negligence on the part of bicyclists. They are expected to follow the rules of the road like anyone else and if they fail to do so and cause an accident, that bicyclist should be held liable for any damage anyone else suffers.
Contact a Coweta County personal injury attorney for a free consultation
If you accidentally collide with a bicyclist and believe that you were not at fault, you should always contact an experienced personal injury lawyer for assistance as soon as possible. You deserve to recover for any resulting damage, injuries, or other losses from the responsible party and an attorney from Shane Smith Law can help you do just that. Call us today at (980) 246-2656 to schedule your free consultation and to discuss a possible case.