Car Accidents Involving Bikes - St. Louis Auto Injury Attorney
By Christopher Hoffmann
Feb. 12, 2017 7:16p
When a bicycle and car approach an uncontrolled intersection, the vehicle that arrives first will have the right of way. When the bicycle and the car arrive at the intersection at the same time, the vehicle to the right has the right of way. If the intersection has one minor and one major road, then the vehicle on the major road has the right of way. In this post, our St. Louis bike accident lawyer will discuss common accidents that involve a car and a bicycle.
Common accident scenarios involving cars and bicycles
Stop sign collisions
The most type of collision that occurs on intersection between a car and a bicycle involves a bicyclist who has a stop sign and a driver who does not. The bicyclist rides out in front of the car after stopping at the stop sign. In many of these cases, the bicyclist is at fault.
Another common type of intersection collision between a car and a bicycle involves a driver who has a stop sign and a bicyclist who does not. The driver drives out in front of the bicyclist after stopping at the stop sign. In such cases, the driver is often at fault.
Riding against traffic
Riding against the flow of traffic is illegal and dangerous, and is responsible for a large number of accidents. Many cyclists are tempted to ride against the traffic, because they think they can easily fit next to the oncoming vehicles alongside the road. However, drivers do not expect any vehicles driving against the traffic flow and there is often too little time to maneuver away from a collision, and this can lead to a collision.
Failure to yield
Another commonly reported type of intersection accident involves a cyclist’s failure to yield. The bicyclist stops at the intersection, and then rides into it without yielding, because they either misjudged the car’s distance or speed, or they did not see the car at all.
Left cross accidents
In a left cross accident, a bicyclist and driver approach the intersection from opposite direction, and as they enter the intersection, the driver turns left and collides with the bicyclist. This happens because the driver misjudges the bicyclist’s speed or does not see it at all. In most cases, the motorist will be held liable.
Right hook accidents
These accidents happen when a car passes a bicycle as both approach the intersection, and the car makes a right turn and cuts the bicyclist off, the bicycle passes a slower car on the right and then the car makes a right turn into the bicycle, or when a bicycle and car are waiting at the traffic signal. The car makes a right turn when the light changes, cuts off and hits the bicycle. In most of these cases, the driver is at fault.
In car vs. bicycle accidents, it is the bicyclist who almost always suffer serious injuries, but it does not mean that the driver is always at fault. If you have been involved in this type of an accident, you should get in touch with a competent St. Louis car wreck lawyer, who can help determine liability.