Tucson bicycle accidents involving motor vehicles are thankfully rare, yet they do occur. In fact, solo Tucson bicycle crashes are more common. These often occur when the cyclist loses control on faulty pavement or debris in the roadway, or when the rider strikes a fixed object such as a poorly-parked vehicle.
All riders are encouraged to learn and practice safety skills in order to avoid cycling accidents. Still, if an accident does occur, here are some steps you should take to protect yourself and your loved ones.
First, make sure you and others are safe. If you or another rider is down, unless you’re in a traffic lane, just lie quietly until you’re certain there are no serious injuries.
Make a mental note of exactly where you and any vehicles were located when the accident happened. If a motorist moves his or her vehicle, be sure to note all movements.
After any bicycle accident, you should visit a doctor as soon as possible. If qualified medical caregivers arrive, accept a ride in the ambulance unless you’re absolutely certain there are no acute injuries.
Even if you’re not in pain, you should still seek a medical checkup, since many injuries do not become evident until hours or even days after an accident.
Identify all others involved in the accident, as well as any witnesses. As with any motor vehicle accident, you should insist on seeing the driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations for anyone involved in an accident, even if damages and injuries seem minor.
Be sure to write down all information, including uninvolved witnesses to the bicycle accident. Also note any injuries or damages that you or others have suffered. If police arrive at the accident scene, help them make sure to document the entire sequence of events.
If a driver leaves the scene of an accident, it may be a serious offense. If someone involved in a roadway accident attempts to leave the scene, be sure to obtain their vehicle license tag number, or at least a physical description of the vehicle and its occupants.
You should provide this information to the police as soon as possible. This is especially important to report, since a fleeing driver may be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or may have been operating the vehicle illegally.
Examine the bicycle. After any injuries have been addressed, next take a look at your equipment. If you feel OK and your bike is fully functional, you may ride away.
Still, if there’s been any damage, especially to the handlebars, fork, or bearings, you should refrain from riding. That’s because many high-quality bikes feature aluminum handlebars which can snap suddenly after they’ve been subjected to bending.
Also, if your fork or bearings have been damaged, your balance and steering may be dangerously affected. In any event, you should carefully document all damages and injuries.
Get qualified legal help. After a bicycle crash resulting in any injury or damage, whether there was a motor vehicle involved or not, you should seek help from an expert bicycle attorney such as Bob Barber.
As a long-time cyclist, Bob Barber has plenty of experience in protecting the rights of bike riders who’ve been involved in accidents.
If you or someone you know has suffered a bicycle crash, contact the Bob Barber Law firm by calling 520-293-4440.