Ongoing Discussions About Bicycle Safety in Southern California

Bicyclists in Poway and throughout Southern California are often at risk of serious and deadly injuries in collisions involving negligent motorists. While San Diego County and Los Angeles County, for example, have taken some steps to address the high rate of bicycle injuries and deaths, such as adding new bike lanes, cyclists in Southern California continue to get hurt in avoidable crashes that result from careless or reckless drivers who engage in distracted driving, aggressive driving, and intoxicated driver. According to a recent report from ABC News, “the state of the bike and pedestrian infrastructure” is still not what it could be, and cyclists continue to be involved in deadly crashes.

Learning More About Bicycle Accident Injuries and Deaths in Southern California

As that ABC News report underscores, “between 2018 and 2022” in the Los Angeles area alone, “an average of 35 bicyclists died and more than 2,500 were injured.” The majority of those crashes had four things in common: They occurred on roads with higher speed limits (of 35 miles per hour or higher), on roads that had three or more lanes going in either direction, at nighttime, and on roads without dedicated bike lanes. Approximately 50% of deadly bicycle collisions in Southern California, based on data from an ABC7 analysis, happen between 6:00 pm and 6:00 am, and nearly 80% of all deadly collisions occur on roads where there are no dedicated bike lanes or other forms of “bike infrastructure.”

Moreover, approximately 80% of the severe and deadly bicycle collisions that occur happen on roads identified as “High Injury Networks” that are primarily “in underserved communities . . . that have a higher share of people of color, low-income residents, or areas that are vulnerable to multiple sources of pollution.” The key, the article intimates, is putting more money toward protected bike lanes since shared bike lanes (with symbols or signage) tend to “do absolutely nothing to improve safety.”

Filing a Bicycle Accident Claim

Until more improvements are made to the infrastructure to reduce the rate of bicycle crashes, it is important for cyclists to know more about how they can hold a negligent driver accountable while seeking compensation.

It may be possible to file a bicycle accident lawsuit against the liable party, which is often a negligent driver. To ensure that you remain eligible to file a civil lawsuit, it is essential to talk with an attorney to determine the timeline for your case. Most bicycle crash claims have a two-year statute of limitations under California law, but in some cases, claims must be filed within six months or one year from the date of the injury.

Contact a Poway Bicycle Accident Attorney

Were you recently injured in a bicycle accident in Poway or elsewhere in San Diego County? Or did a family member recently sustain serious injuries in a Southern California bicycle collision involving an automobile? While San Diego County and other counties in Southern California have taken steps to reduce the rate of bicycle injuries and deaths, cyclists continue to be injured in collisions caused by negligent motorists. One of the experienced Poway personal injury attorneys at our firm can evaluate your case and provide you with more information about filing an insurance claim or a lawsuit. Contact the Walton Law Firm to learn more about how we can assist you with a bicycle crash claim.

See Related Blog Posts: Bike Helmets and Injuries in Poway: What Should You Know? Dealing with “Intexticated” Drivers in Escondido