Findlay Bicycle Accident Lawyer

For various reasons, more and more people are deciding to ride bicycles rather than drive cars. This can be great for your health, your wallet, and the environment, but it can also be somewhat dangerous.

Many drivers are not used to sharing the road with bicyclists, and this inexperience, combined with distracted driving and narrow roadways, can lead to accidents.

Given the vast size difference between cars and bikes, and the fact that bicyclists’ bodies are exposed, the bicyclist is almost always going to suffer more injury in a collision.

If you have been injured while riding your bike, a Findlay bicycle accident lawyer will help you recover financially so that you can focus on recovering physically. To get started on the recovery process consult with a personal injury attorney today.

Bicycle Accident Statistics

The Ohio Department of Public Safety reported that in 2016, there were 1,507 bicycle deaths or injuries. The age group with the highest number of people injured or killed was ages 11-15, followed by 16-20. There were 1,505 crashes, and the vast majority occurred during daylight hours.

As a Findlay bike accident attorney can explain, one way to help protect from serious injury is to wear a helmet while riding a bike. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), wearing a bike helmet reduces the risk of head injury by as much as 85 percent and the risk of brain injury by as much as 88%.

Understanding Crucial Bicycle Laws

According to the Ohio Department of Transportation, every roadway in Ohio other than a limited access freeway is considered a shared roadway and bicyclists are allowed to ride there. Bicyclists must ride as far to the right side of the road as is safe and practical.

They also must ride with traffic and obey the same laws as motorists (see Chapter 4511 of the Ohio Revised Code). Keep in mind that each city or county within Ohio can pass its own laws in addition to state laws.

Ohio’s new “move over law” went into effect on March 21, 2017. Under Ohio House Bill 154, drivers will have to cross the center lane to pass a bicyclist if the bicyclist is in the roadway or is riding on the yellow line along the shoulder.

Drivers will have to provide a passing distance of three feet or more to the left of the bicycle.

A motorist who violates this new law will be guilty of a minor misdemeanor, the degree of which increases if the motorist has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to predicate motor vehicle or traffic offenses. A bicycle attorney in Findlay could help with any questions regarding a case.

Types of Bicycle Accidents

There are many different types of bicycle accidents that Findlay bike accident attorneys can assist with. Some common examples are accidents caused by:

• Motor vehicle collisions
• Hit and run incidents
• Street defects
• Dog chases/bites
• “Dooring” (when a vehicle driver or passenger opens the car door and strikes a bicyclist)

Contact a Findlay Bicycle Accident Attorney Today

When you have been involved in a bicycle accident, we know you are hurting. Just remember that your body will heal, and you will be back out riding soon.

To make the recovery process smoother, let our experienced bike accident lawyers take over the legal aspect and help get you the damages you are owed. Contact your Findlay bicycle accident lawyer for a consultation today.