Thanks to environmental concerns and the scaling back of unnecessary expenses among many Americans, the number of cyclists has risen dramatically over the last decade. In fact, statistics indicate that some 66 million people now use a bicycle as their primary mode of transportation.

Unfortunately, the roadways are still designed for passenger vehicles, and that creates challenges and potential risks for cyclists. Add in the potential for distracted, drunk, or drugged drivers and it becomes clear that cyclists need to know how to protect themselves from the risk of serious injury if a bicycle accident occurs. Learn more, including how the assistance of a seasoned, competent lawyer can increase your chances of receiving full and fair compensation after a crash.

Bicycle Accident Statistics

Statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation indicate that some 4,500 bicyclists experience a non-fatal injury each year. Since many of these injuries were related to the head, face, or neck area, one would think that cyclists are failing at helmet use, but this assumption could not be further from the truth. Learn the truth about bicycle accidents and helmet use, including why helmets are not always effective at preventing head injuries among victims.

Man Experiences Severe TBI in Bicycle Accident

It had been an average day for a Virginia man – he had ridden his bike to work and was on his way home to cook dinner for his sons, but then everything changed. Hit by a senior woman that had run a red light while he was riding through the intersection, the man was thrown 50 feet from his bike. The helmet he was wearing at the time may have saved his life, but it did not save him from years of painstaking recovery.

Roundabouts have become popular in America. In fact, some cities have chosen to replace dangerous intersections with new roundabouts. The Department of Transportation (DOT) says they result in fewer accidents and have decreased injuries by 75 percent. The death of bicyclists and pedestrians are said to have been reduced by 10 to 40 percent. Are these figures truly accurate, or are they inflated? Further, what can victims and their families do if they are injured or killed while traveling in a roundabout? The following explains.

Safety First?

Roundabouts save cities money – and not just on the cost of maintenance for traffic signals, but also in noise and traffic pollution. They can also provide stimulation to a downturned economy by providing a marker for businesses. Traffic also continues to move, even during power outages. Unfortunately, they may not save cities on their collision-related costs.

Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that approximately 31 percent of all traffic-related deaths are caused by drivers under the influence of alcohol. In total, this amounts to nearly 10,000 deaths each and every year. Pedestrians and bicyclists, who are largely unprotected during a vehicular impact, are often the most vulnerable. They also tend to be the ones most likely to be hit and injured or killed in a drunk driving accident.

The Effects of Impairment on a Driver

When a driver is on the effects of drugs or alcohol, his or her ability to driver is impaired. Reflexes are slower, vision may be blurry or otherwise impaired, and the driver is less effective at tracking and accessing the speed and movement of objects. Additionally, these effects can occur even if a driver's blood alcohol content (BAC) is far below the legal limit of 0.08 percent. In fact, specialists have estimated that, even at a BAC of just 0.02 percent, a driver may have trouble concentrating or effectively accessing a situation. Yet, under state law, the driver is within the legal driving limit. Of course, the higher the level of intoxication, the greater the driver's impairment. The greater his or her impairment, the higher the risk to society.