Jump to Navigation
Most Common Types of Bicycle Crashes in Indiana
February 27, 2014

 

In our over 20 years of personal injury litigation experience, we have seen a number of different kinds of bicycle collisions. In our role as Indiana bicycle accident lawyers, the details of each individual bike crash are vital to our legal analysis of liability and causation. Therefore, we analyze each client’s case based on the type of crash the bicyclist was involved in. Most of the accidents involving cyclists in Indiana involve motor vehicles, but this is not always the case. Pedestrians and other cyclists can potentially be just as responsible for a collision as a careless, negligent motor vehicle driver. Based on our experience, the most common types of bicycle crashes are the right hook, the left cross, the drive-out, the rear-end, the overtake, the dooring, and the careless cyclist or pedestrian.

        1.  The Right Hook

A right hook bicycle collision occurs when a driver passes a cyclist on the left and proceeds to make a right-hand turn directly in front of the cyclist’s right-of-way.

        2.  The Left Cross

Left cross bike accidents take place when a motorist makes a left turn directly in front of the biker’s pathway. In Indiana, these often occur at cross-walks and intersections with heavy bike, pedestrian, and motor vehicle traffic, like downtown Indianapolis and other heavily populated areas in Indiana.

         3.  The Drive-Out

A drive-out bicycle accident happens when a driver pulls out directly into the cyclist’s right-of-way. These often occur at intersections but are also common in parking lots when a driver is attempting to enter or exit a parking spot and fails to notice the oncoming cyclist. Both drivers and cyclists should be cautious when operating in parking lots, as our Indiana bicycle attorneys have found parking lots to be an extremely underrated location for the occurrence of bike vs. automobile collisions.

          4.  The Rear-End

Rear-end collisions occur most frequently in areas of heavy, stop and go traffic when the motorist operates his or her vehicle into the back of a cyclist. These crashes can cause serious injury, even when the force of the impact is minimal.

           5.  The Overtake

Overtake bicycle crashes take place primarily when a motorist attempts to pass a cyclist on the open road. Many cities in Indiana have adopted the “3 foot rule,” requiring motorists to leave at least 3 feet of space when attempting to pass a cyclist. Unfortunately, motorists occasionally come too close to bikers when attempting to pass them on the road, and serious collisions can occur that can lead to devastating injuries to the cyclist.

           6.  The Dooring

Dooring bicycle crashes occur when a driver opens the door of his or her parked vehicle directly into the pathway of an oncoming cyclist, causing the cyclist to collide with the door, often at a high rate of speed. The unfortunate reality of dooring crashes is that they frequently cause the cyclist to flip over the door, leave him or her vulnerable and exposed to oncoming traffic.

Dooring collisions take place most frequently in highly populated areas like New York City and Chicago, but they are becoming more and more prevalent in places like downtown Indianapolis.

           7.  The Careless Cyclist or Pedestrian

Yes, it is true: cyclists and pedestrians are not perfect! Cyclists and pedestrians who carelessly enter a fellow bicyclist or pedestrian’s pathway can be liable for the resulting injuries. Beware of such accidents on places like the Monon Trail!

 

Caress Law Group’s Indiana Bicycle Accident Lawyers, Tim Caress and Lance Worland, understand that the lives of cyclists and their families can be drastically changed as a result of accidents. If you or a loved one has been injured in an Indiana bicycle crash or if you have a question about this post or any of Indiana’s bicycle laws, please feel free to contact Caress Law Group by clicking here, calling our office at any time at 317-255-5400, or by email at lance@caresslaw.com. We represent injured cyclists throughout the State of Indiana. All calls and emails are returned promptly, and we offer free, confidential consultations to discuss your case and your options. We look forward to assisting you, and be sure to ride safe!

 

Leave a Reply

Caress Law Group’s Indiana Bicycle Lawyers are the leading Indiana personal injury attorneys who dedicate a significant portion of their law practice to representing victims of bicycle accidents. Please contact us at any time at 317-255-5400 or by clicking the "Contact Us" tab above.
We look forward to helping you on your path to recovery.