On the streets of North Carolina, a large percentage of the population enjoys riding a bicycle—whether for leisure or as an efficient means of transportation- as bicycling remains the second most popular outdoor activity in the United States. Because of this, however, it is no surprise that an astounding number of cyclists are seriously injured, or even killed, each year in the state.
Statistics that have been complied by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) show that nearly 850 bicyclists are injured each year, while another 25 are killed in bicycle-motor vehicle collisions. Unfortunately, many of these accidents could have been prevented.
Among all bicycle accidents, most of them involve a motor vehicle. Not to say that bicyclists are never at fault for an accident, but many times, the driver of a much larger vehicle will fail to even notice a cyclist sharing the road. Some of the most common types of accidents happen when a driver fails to look for the presence of a bicyclist before pulling out of a parking lot or side street or when a driver attempts to make a right turn without looking to see if a cyclist is riding next to them.
When these types of accidents happen, the pedestrian has very little chance of protecting themselves against the force of a motor vehicle—meaning that the resulting damage is often catastrophic, or even fatal, for the cyclist, while the driver remains unscathed.
Other types of bicycle accidents happen when a driver neglects to check for pedestrians in the crosswalk while they are making a turn or when a driver does not leave enough room between themselves and a cyclist—leading to rear-end accidents and side collisions. If you have been injured in a similar bicycle accident at the hands of a carless driver, you may have sustained life-altering injuries.
Because of this, you may be entitled to compensation for the physical and emotional harm that you have been forced to endure. For more information about your rights as an accident victim, you should not hesitate to contact a qualified attorney as soon as possible.
