Cycling accidents are a huge problem in the United States. As gas becomes more expensive and people decide to ride their bikes more often, this problem is just going to become exaggerated. Cyclists have to share the road with motor vehicles and the mistakes that these drivers make often have fatal consequences.
Statistics even show that cyclists die at twice the rate that one would expect. First of all, when looking at all trips that people take in the United States, only about 1% of them are on bikes. It is far more common for people to drive their own vehicles or take some form of public transportation.
This would suggest that cyclists may be involved in 1% of all fatal accidents, as well. But they are actually involved in roughly 2%. Although this sounds like a small difference in some ways, it actually shows that cyclists have a fatal accident rate that is twice as high as would otherwise be expected. This is a massively disproportionate fatal accident rate.
Why does this happen?
The biggest reason for this is simply that cyclists lack protection. Even when they wear helmets, they simply have far less protection than someone in a motor vehicle. In some senses, they are at the mercy of the drivers around them. When those drivers are negligent or reckless, it is often cyclists who pay the price.
Have you lost a loved one in a cycling accident or perhaps suffered serious injuries yourself? Take the time to look into all of the legal options at your disposal. You may be able to seek compensation for medical bills, funeral costs, lost wages and more.