Alameda County Bicycle Accident Attorney

One of the most common causes of bicycle accidents occurs when a bicycle and a motor vehicle crash into one another. 

There are many causes of such crashes, including the following:

1. Speeding

Most of us know what it’s like to be in a hurry to get somewhere. Unfortunately, speeding often contributes to accidents, as it affords the driver less time to make decisions (such as braking). Therefore, when drivers are speeding and they either fail to see a bicyclist or fail to leave enough room between themselves and the bike, accidents often occur. 

2. Distracted Driving

With the continuous increase in technology and the prevalence of smartphones, distracted driving has become one of the leading causes of all accidents. But distracted driving isn’t just talking or texting while driving. It includes anything that takes a driver’s hands off the wheel or their eyes or minds off the road.

Some examples include:

• Putting on makeup
• Eating
• Changing the radio
• Talking to a passenger

Distracted driving causes the driver to miss important things that they should be paying attention to, including bicyclists around them. 

3. Impaired Driving

Another serious — yet preventable — cause of bicycle accidents is impaired driving. Impaired driving means getting behind the wheel after consuming drugs or alcohol. Since these substances impact the driver’s reaction time, decision-making abilities, and attention, impaired drivers pose a major threat to all others on the road. And since bicyclists, unlike cars or trucks, have no physical protection around them, they are even more susceptible to serious injury or death. 

4. Unsafe Lane Changes

When drivers choose to change lanes without signaling or adequately looking to ensure there is no one around them, they often end up hitting others. Additionally, when drivers are distracted, they often ride over the outer line and into bike lanes and shoulders.

5. Failure to Yield

What many drivers don’t understand is that bicyclists have the same rights on the road as other drivers. Therefore, when drivers think they always have the right of way and fail to yield to bicyclists who were there first, collisions often occur. 

Drivers often fail to yield to bicyclists while:

• Making a left-hand turn
• Merging
• Entering an intersection
• Backing out of parking spaces
• Backing out of driveways
• Failing to stop at stop signs

6. Defective or Malfunctioning Parts

Unfortunately, bikes can be defective, like any product. If a bicycle has a defect, it often goes undiscovered until it becomes extremely hazardous to the rider.

Defects within the bike itself can pose a danger to riders that may not be discovered until it’s too late. Oftentimes, this involves a product liability claim against the bike manufacturer.

7. Reckless or Aggressive Driving

Another dangerous yet completely preventable cause of bicycle accidents is reckless or aggressive driving, often referred to as “road rage.” 

Road rage often includes a variety of dangerous behaviors, such as:

• Speeding
• Tailgating
• Failing to signal/cutting someone off
• Inappropriate hand gestures
• Yelling and profanities
• Failing to follow traffic laws
• Excessively honking
• Blocking the bike lane

Road rage can be dangerous to everyone on the road but can become deadly when a bicyclist becomes the target.