As the popularity of bicycle riding increases, for both transportation and recreation, so do the number of collisions between automobiles and bicycles. Our Orange County bicycle accident lawyers know that in collisions between bikes and cars, the rider of the bike is the one who ends up with the severe injury. This is why the bike riders must follow the traffic laws and always be vigilant for possible dangers, which range from inattentive drivers to potholes in the street. But even the most careful bicyclist is still at risk because drivers in Orange County simply do not pay attention to people on bikes.  Drivers love their cars, and they don’t like to share the road with bikes. Because the bicyclist’s injuries are often so severe after a bike v. auto accident, the police typically do not get a statement from the bicyclist until after he is taken to the hospital. The police will almost always take the statement of the driver of the car first, and that puts the bicyclist at a disadvantage. We at the Bicycle Accident Attorneys Of California have noticed a specific bias in police reports against bike riders. Even in situations where the bike rider may have been only partially at fault, the police report cites them for being 100% at fault. This is one of the many reasons why investigating bicycle accidents is harder and more complex work than investigating typical Orange County auto collisions. Relying on just the opinion of the police is never sufficient in these cases.

Bicyclists are required to follow the same rules of the road as automobile drivers. This means that cyclists have to ride in the same direction as traffic and off of the sidewalk. However, it is common for cyclists to ride against traffic, on or off of a sidewalk, for short distances. This is where a great deal of accidents occur. A typical case involves a cyclist going against traffic, approaching an intersection or driveway where a motorist is waiting to make a right turn. As the bike gets in front of the car, the driver accelerates quickly and hits the bike. In that moment, the driver of the car was looking left, to check for traffic, rather than looking straight or to the right, where they should have been looking. In this scenario, the police almost always put the bicyclist 100% at fault. While the bicyclist is partially at fault, the driver of the car is also at fault for moving the car forward before it was safe to do so. This is the reason why many lawyers do not handle bike cases. Our Orange County injury lawyers know that each case is unique and every aspect must be fairly evaluated. We do not assume that all accidents are the fault of the bike rider, and we hold motorists liable for whatever fault they may share.

Bike Accident Attorneys of California specialize in protecting the rights of injured cyclists. With the environmental and monetary costs associated with motor vehicle travel many have opted to travel by bicycle. While there are many benefits to cycling there are also risks to being on the road without the cover that a tradition motor vehicle provides.

We understand that drivers are often careless when they should be watching out for bikers and pedestrians. Cars often merge into a bike lane without regard, in high traffic biking areas many other bikers do not understand proper biking signals or laws, and at times pedestrians let obstructions like balls or pets into the road in a way that does not allow you enough time to brake to avoid getting injured.