A growing number of North Carolina residents are using bicycles as their primary mode of transportation. This is beneficial for myriad reasons including the amount of money it saves, that it is a good way to get exercise and that it is a positive for the environment. Often, bicycling is a necessity for people – specifically immigrants – who might not have a driver’s license nor have access to an automobile.
Despite its positives, there are inherent dangers when taking to the road on a bicycle. When there is a collision between an automobile and a bicyclist, there is a substantial chance that the rider will suffer catastrophic injuries and even lose their lives. This can result in enormous medical expenses, the inability to work and long-term challenges for them and their family.
Knowing the possible risks can be helpful in avoiding them. Still, bicyclists are so vulnerable that a crash will be costly in just about every area of their lives. It is useful to have help with determining a strategy after the accident.
Study shows Charlotte is a dangerous city for bicyclists
Bicyclists face safety challenges when navigating the Charlotte roads. Bikes and cars are close together making it problematic. When people are learning to drive, they are not given extensive instruction in safely sharing the road with bicyclists.
Statistically, Charlotte came in 97th in 143 large cities for rider safety. The city does not have an extended network of lanes devoted specifically to riders. This complicates attempts to forge a route that gets them to their destination without crossing paths with automobiles.
Lawmakers are aware of the problems riders face. One is that drivers are parking in bike lanes. Drivers might not be paying attention, they are driving at excessive speeds and they open doors when they are exiting the vehicle and do not look for riders before doing so.
In the last five years, there has been a troubling uptick in bicyclist deaths when compared to the number of people who died in an auto accident. This combination puts riders in jeopardy.
Bicycle accident victims may need assistance with moving forward
Those who are dealing with the aftermath of a bicycle accident might not know where to turn. Contacting people who are caring, kind and compassionate with a skill for assessing and gathering evidence of what happened in an accident can be a difference-maker in a successful outcome.
When there was a bicycle accident, it is possible that the driver of the automobile that crashed into the rider was under the influence, was not paying attention to the road or was speeding. To understand the potential risks for riders in Charlotte and throughout the state, it is useful to have assistance from professionals who are experienced in these cases and know the challenges those involved will face.