Safety continues to improve across the country every year as technological advances ease the hazards previously posed to the public. One area where things keep getting better is in the transportation arena. When compared to data from 30-40 years ago, traffic accidents and traffic-related fatalities have declined substantially even as the overall population in the nation has increased significantly. There are complicated answers as to why this has happened but experts tend to agree that it is a combination of advanced safety features in cars, cars that are designed to protect passengers on impact instead of keeping their form, and educational campaigns related to safety issues.
But as traffic accidents continue to head in a positive direction, an area for continued concern remains the number of bicycle collisions that take place. Most of these, and the most concerning segment of these, involve an impact between a vehicle and a bicycle and take place on or near a public roadway.
Trends in bicycle accidents and the injuries that result have shifted substantially in the last 40 years with many more adults now sustaining harm. In fact, in 1975, 2/3 of all cyclists who were killed in American collisions were under the age of 16; as of 2012, The Republic reported that 86 percent of all bicycle fatalities happen among those older than 16. In 2014, there were 1,742 bicycle accidents in Arizona and 28 of those proved to be fatal. An additional 1,459 collisions involving bicycles resulted in injuries which means that of all the crashes that took place in the state, more than 85 percent caused harm.
With slightly less than five bicycle accidents taking place on an average day in Arizona, it is important for all riders and all drivers to consider their actions and what can be done to prevent those crashes. Experts state that the most important thing anyone can do is to respect the rights of others when on the road. If you are a cyclist, this means riding where indicated or on the right half of a lane of traffic. If you are a driver of a vehicle, it means yielding the right-of-way when appropriate to a cyclist nearby. It can be helpful to think about safety as a collection issue and to take whatever steps needed to ensure your role in the safety of others is a positive one.
Further, it is important to realize that the weather in the greater Phoenix area makes bicycle riding a possibility year-round for some cyclists, unlike the climates in other states or even in some portions of northern Arizona. The greater the number of days that a cyclist can ride in a given year, the greater the number of potential collisions that may occur. Motorists in Phoenix must remain vigilant for cyclists at any time during the year as a result and they must expect a cyclist regardless of the weather conditions.
If you were injured while riding your bicycle in Phoenix or if someone you love was hurt or killed, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries. If you have questions, know that the personal injury lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. are standing by 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take your call toll free at to provide you with a free case consultation without obligation. You can reach us at (855) PHX-LAWYER or locally at (602) 819-5191 where you can rest assured that if we represent you in your case, we will never charge you a fee unless we make a recovery on your behalf.
Prior Blog Entry:
Infections Continue to be the Leading Cause of Hospital Readmissions, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published October 9, 2015.