Cyclists on the road must be very cautious when sharing the road with cars. This is because cyclists have a much higher likelihood of becoming seriously injured if they get involved in a collision, due to the lack of safety protections such as seatbelts and airbags.
If you have been involved in an accident as a cyclist, you may want to attempt to gain back damages from the driver involved. To do so, you will need to show that the driver was negligent or reckless and that this was the reason why the accident occurred. The following are some scenarios in which a driver would most likely be to blame for the causation of an accident.
When the driver is speeding
Drivers should always stay within the legal speed limit. When they don’t, they may easily lose control of the car, or fail to slow down in an adequate amount of time.
When the driver is under the influence of alcohol
It’s illegal for drivers to get behind the wheel if their blood alcohol percentage (BAC) is 0.08% or higher. Being under the influence of alcohol leads to longer response rates and increases high-risk driving.
When the driver makes a sudden lane change
Drivers need to give notice before changing lanes or making a turn, and they should do so with the safety of cyclists, pedestrians and other drivers in mind.
If you believe that a driver’s negligence caused the accident you were involved in, you should take swift action. By doing so, you will have a good chance of gaining damages for the financial costs, and for the pain and suffering caused.
