A recent report from the University of California San Francisco has brought bad news to bike riders: Bike accidents are on the rise. Read on to learn more about what the study said. Then contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 if you have been injured in this type of accident.
Key findings from the study
The study looked at the last 17 years and found that Americans have spent more than $237 billion on these accidents – and that the cost is just increasing. Over the course of their study, they found a 120% increase in bike accidents and that the cost of treating bike accident injuries has gone up by 136%.
Most people are not surprised to learn that the older a bike rider is, the more likely they are to be injured while riding. The study also found that accidents involving bikes and cars are on the rise, which can result in catastrophic injuries.
Contributing factors to bike accidents
One of the reasons that bike accidents are on the rise is that there have been changes in where people ride their bikes. It is now more common for a resident of a city to commute to work via bike, which means there are more bikes sharing the road with drivers. This can put everyone’s safety at risk.
Steps cities can take to make the streets safer for bike riders
While ensuring that there are appropriate rules in place – and that both drivers and riders know them – this is not all that can be done to help keep bike riders safe. Cities can work to accommodate for their bike riding citizens. The study looks at European cities, which generally have both more bike riders and fewer accidents. Some options for increasing safety include better bike lanes for riders.
Get medical attention if you have been injured in a bike accident
The first thing to do after a bike accident is to get medical care. Everything else that needs to be done can wait. Once you have ensured you are safe, then you want to contact a personal injury attorney to find out if you have cause for a personal injury lawsuit. Note that in California you have a limited amount of time to file a lawsuit. For example, if it involved the city or a municipality, then you only have six months to file.
Gather as much information as you can about the accident
It is also wise to get as much information about the accident as you can. This includes getting contact information for any witnesses, taking pictures at the scene, keeping medical records, and more. If you have questions about whether or not you should keep anything related to the accident, talk to your attorney. You can request a free legal consultation by reaching out to Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.
