Five Ways Uneducated Drivers Kill Bicyclists

Harris County has one of the largest number of bicycle riders in the state, mostly because the cities in Harris County are mostly dense, urban areas. Yet Harris County also has some of the most uneducated drivers in the state, when it comes to bicycle safety. In other words, many drivers put bicyclists at risk, but they don’t know it, and don’t particularly care about it.

Ignorance of the law is no excuse, and ignorance of basic safety principles is no excuse for negligence. If negligence, or a lack of care, causes a bicycle accident, a Missouri City bicycle accident attorney can obtain financial compensation in court. This compensation usually includes money for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering. Compensation for future losses is also available in fatal accident cases. Most fatal bicycle crash victims are under 25. Therefore, the survivors need and deserve substantial compensation for these tragic losses.

Bicycling Blindness

The “ignorance of the law” line refers to a lack of knowledge about the law, or specifically, a mistake of law as opposed to a mistake of fact. People who don’t know the speed limit is 55 are still speeding. If someone severely vandalized the speed limit sign, that’s different.

Sometimes, ignorance is more like willful blindness. Many drivers simply ignore bicycle riders. As long as this hazard remains, bicyclists are at risk.

Causing Left-Turn Crashes

Left turn wrecks are one of the most common kinds of bicycle crashes. A tortfeasor (negligent driver) tries to turn left against traffic and crosses in front of an oncoming bicycle.

Bicycle blindness often contributes to these wrecks. It’s hard for many drivers to see small bicycles in a sea of large vehicles, like SUVs and pickups. Furthermore, many tortfeasors underestimate a bicycle’s speed. They assume that small objects are also slow-moving objects. Bicycles often approach intersections much earlier than tortfeasors think they’ll be there.

Honking

Four-wheel vehicle operators who are inside semi-airtight cabins don’t realize how loud their horns are. These sudden, loud noises are very distracting and unsettling, especially if, as is often the case, the victim is a young child.

The lesson for drivers is clear. If you do not absolutely need to honk your horn to alert or warn a bicyclist, don’t do it.

Littering

Many people don’t think about this issue at all. Almost any piece of debris, even a candy wrapper or soda can, could cause a rider to lose control of a bicycle. Two-wheel bicycles are hard enough to control if road conditions are ideal.

These accidents are very difficult for a Missouri personal injury attorney to prove. Frequently, attorneys use prior parking violations and other minor infractions to establish negligence in these situations. If a tortfeasor ignored such a law once, it’s more likely than not that s/he’ll do it again.

Driving with Powerful Lights

Some localities are taking action against motorists who drive with powerful LED headlights shining brightly. The increased possibility of bicycle crashes is one of the main drivers of these efforts. All windshields are slightly shaded, so once again, many drivers don’t know how bright their lights are. These lights blind and disorient approaching bicyclists.

Rely on a Diligent Harris County Attorney

Injury victims are entitled to significant compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney in Missouri City, contact the Henrietta Ezeoke Law Firm. You have a limited amount of time to act.