Fort Worth offers great opportunities for bicycling, from scenic trails to bike sharing programs. However, bicycle accidents still happen on local streets when cars and bikes collide. These crashes often lead to serious injuries for cyclists. Bicycle accident prevention requires both drivers and riders following key safety practices. This article discusses causes of Fort Worth bicycle accidents, laws to protect cyclists, safety tips, and how an attorney can help if you get hurt.
Bicycle Safety Tips
As a cyclist, it’s important to follow some basic safety precautions to avoid accidents on Fort Worth streets and highways. Here are some tips:
Follow Traffic Laws
Bicyclists must obey the same traffic laws as motorists. That means stopping at red lights and stop signs, signaling turns, and riding in the same direction as traffic. Cyclists should ride as far to the right side of the road as practicable, except when making left turns or avoiding hazards. Failure to follow traffic laws is one of the leading causes of bike crashes.
Be Visible
Another key to bike safety is making yourself as visible as possible to drivers. Wear bright-colored clothing and use bike lights and reflectors, even during the daytime. Make eye contact with drivers and use hand signals when turning to communicate your intentions clearly. Wearing reflective gear and using flashing bike lights at night and in low visibility conditions is especially important.
Wear a Helmet
Helmets dramatically reduce the risk of head injuries in a bike accident. Fort Worth has no bicycle helmet law, but all cyclists should wear one every time they ride. Helmets should fit properly and meet safety standards. Studies show that helmet use decreases the risk of head injury by 85% and brain injury by 88%.
Avoid Driver Blind Spots
When sharing lanes with cars, stay out of their blind spots as much as possible. Avoid riding right next to a vehicle or between lanes of traffic. Be aware of where blind spots are for different vehicles like trucks and buses. Making periodic eye contact with drivers lets them know you are sharing the road.
Be Predictable
Ride in a straight line and avoid sudden swerving. Use hand signals when changing lanes or making turns. Driveways and intersections are places where cyclists and cars cross paths, so approach them with caution. Scan your surroundings regularly for potential hazards.
Use Protected Bike Lanes
Fort Worth has been expanding its network of protected bike lanes. These lanes provide a physical barrier between cyclists and vehicular traffic. Using protected lanes when available decreases accident risks. Seek out routes with bike lanes, trails or low traffic when possible.
Stay Sober
Riding a bicycle while intoxicated greatly increases crash risks. Fort Worth has a bike DUI law with penalties similar to driving under the influence. Always ride sober and be extra cautious when cycling at night when drunk drivers are more prevalent.
Be Careful When Passing Parked Cars
Opening car doors and drivers pulling into traffic can cause serious bike collisions. Give yourself ample room when riding alongside parked vehicles and watch for signs a car is about to pull out like brake lights or exhaust. Use extra caution near busy parking lots.
Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents
While cyclists should take precautions, unsafe driving behaviors by motorists are the most common cause of bicycle crashes. Some hazardous actions that lead to accidents include:
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Opening car doors into an oncoming cyclist’s path
- Unsafe passing of bicyclists by cutting them off
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Blocking designated bike lanes
- Rolling through stop signs and traffic signals
- Failing to check blind spots before turning
- Passing too closely to bicyclists
In some accidents, poor road conditions like potholes or defective bike parts may also play a role. But research shows driver behavior is the key factor that results in collisions and injuries to bike riders.
Driver Responsibilities
Under Texas laws and Fort Worth city ordinances, motorists have a duty to share the road safely with bicyclists. Key responsibilities include:
- Yielding to bicycles when turning
- Giving cyclists adequate space when passing them
- Checking for bicyclists when opening car doors
- Avoiding car-bike collisions when bicyclists are in designated bike lanes
- Yielding the right-of-way when bicycles are crossing at intersections
- Signaling lane changes and turns
- Obeying speed limits and traffic signs/signals
- Eliminating distractions like cell phone use while driving
Drivers should also avoid behaviors like honking, yelling or throwing items at bicyclists, even if the cyclist is breaking a traffic law. Aggressive driving toward bikers endangers public safety.
Liability After a Bicycle Accident
When bicycle crashes occur due to a driver’s failure to follow traffic laws or execute due care, the motorist will typically bear liability. Cyclists who suffer injuries like broken bones, head trauma, road rash, or other harm can recover damages by filing a claim or lawsuit against the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
Available compensation often covers medical bills, lost wages from missed work, bicycle repair or replacement costs, and pain and suffering. In fatal bike collisions where the negligent actions of a motorist caused a wrongful death, the cyclist’s family may file a lawsuit seeking damages.
An experienced personal injury attorney can help injured bicyclists pursue fair compensation and hold negligent drivers accountable. Compiling evidence about how the accident happened is crucial early in the process. Police reports, skid marks, debris fields, witness statements, and video footage help prove fault.
Call a Fort Worth Bicycle Accident Lawyer for Help
If you or a loved one has suffered harm in a bicycle collision caused by a driver’s negligence in Fort Worth, contact our experienced legal team at Karns & Karns Personal Injury and Accident Attorneys for help seeking compensation. Call 800-4THE-WIN (800-484-3946) or reach out online to set up a free consultation. We assist bicycle accident victims statewide. Don’t hesitate to get legal advice, as there are time limits for taking legal action after a bike crash. Let our lawyers protect your rights as you focus on healing from your injuries.
