Riding your bike is a great way to get around and to explore Clermont. When you’re on your bike, however, you’re extremely vulnerable to the incredible impact of an accident. If a motorist’s negligence leaves you injured in a bike accident, it’s time to consult with a Clermont bicycle accident lawyer at The Umansky Law Firm. Our experienced personal injury attorneys can fully explain your damages and what you could recover in a suit.
When you are on your bike, you don’t have the protective shell that the motorists all around you enjoy. This puts you at increased risk of being seriously injured. You’re also more difficult to see and do not have the power and speed to avoid or escape the dangerous situations that the drivers around you may create.
You are at greater risk when you are on your bike, but this does not alter the fact that everyone on the road owes a serious duty of care to everyone else on it. This means that motorists are responsible for looking out for you and for safely accommodating you.
When you ride on a street or roadway in Florida, you are considered a vehicle. This means that others on the road must afford you the same rights that motorists are entitled to and that you must accept the same responsibilities.
When there is a bike lane, you should always use it, except when you are traveling at the same speed as traffic or it is unsafe to be in the bike lane, such as due to obstacles, debris, or inadequate maintenance. You must also leave a bike lane when you are preparing to make a left turn.
When you are traveling on the road rather than a bike lane, you have the right to the full lane if it is too narrow to share safely with a vehicle. Additionally, you should always ride in the rightmost lane and to the right of that lane unless doing so is unsafe or you are preparing to make a left turn.
Motorists have serious responsibilities to safely share the road with cyclists. To begin, they must afford cyclists a minimum clearance of three feet when passing or driving beside them. Additional rules of the road include:
Drivers must also keep in mind that cyclists can easily get lost in their blind spots, that cyclists are more difficult to see generally, and that cyclists require far shorter stopping distances. This makes it important to exercise immense caution when changing lanes and to allow plenty of distance from forward cyclists. Our Clermont lawyers can investigate a bicycle accident to determine if a motorist acted negligently.
Bike accidents are often caused by the negligence of motorists on the road. For example, distracted motorists don’t pay adequate attention to driving safely. In the process, cyclists can pay the ultimate cost.
Additionally, drunk drivers play a role in about 30 percent of all fatal accidents in the U.S., and you’re very vulnerable to impaired drivers when on your bike. Speeding is another concern, as the greater a motorist’s speed, the more likely they are to cause a deadly accident.
Motorists who do not take the rules of the road seriously enough put bicyclists at increased risk. Something as simple as failing to check the bike lane before making a right turn increases the chances that a cyclist will sustain life-changing injuries. Our Clermont lawyers know what to do in a bicycle accident cases, including analyzing the defendant’s actions.
The Umansky Law Firm has a wealth of experience guiding complex claims like yours toward positive outcomes that support our clients’ brightest futures, and we welcome the opportunity to also help you. For more information, please don’t hesitate to give our firm a call or contact us online today. Consultations are free with no obligation, so please reach out to a Clermont bicycle accident lawyer today.
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