Hopefully, you will never end up in a bike-motor vehicle accident. These types of collisions can have terrible consequences, and that’s true in particular for the cyclist. A bike is simply no match for a car in terms of weight or protection on impact. This holds true for what are called low power motor scooters.
As noted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), however, bike-vehicle collisions are all too common. For their most recent research year, the NHTSA reports that around 48,000 bicyclists were hurt in motor vehicle accidents (http://www.nhtsa.gov/Bicycles). As a popular cyclist destination, Colorado sees its fair share of these accidents. Here’s a post-accidentt guide should you ever find yourself on the wrong end of a bumper.
Keep yourself down
After you’ve been knocked off your bike, your first instinct may be to get right up, especially because there’s adrenaline running through your body. However, doing so could aggravate injuries you have, so go through a mental checklist before you get off the ground. Make a mental assessment of the pain, any obvious limb trauma or numbness before you think about getting up. If you know you can’t get up, have someone call 911 right away.
Use your phone to document everything
If possible, use your phone to take videos and photos of the vehicle’s license plate, the accident scene and anything else that’s relevant, including attempts by the driver to apologize to you. There are procedures regarding how evidence is handled in an accident case, so turn over the video and photo footage to your attorney or the police as soon as you can.
Get all the information
Just as you would in a car crash, get all the information you need from the driver, including his or her name, address, phone number and insurance information. Also note the car’s make, model and license plate number. Get the license plate photo as soon as you can in case the other driver tries to flee the accident scene. Identify any witnesses and obtain their contact information.
Seek medical attention
If there is any chance you’re injured, go see a medical professional, even if you think it’s just a minor injury. Some accident injuries, particularly whiplash, show up later, and not getting medical help quickly can delay recovery time and hamper your ability to file a claim with the insurance company involved.
Consider legal help
Depending on the nature of the accident and the other parties involved, you may want to speak to an attorney. As a bike accident victim, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses, including pain and suffering under Colorado law. An experienced attorney can help guide you through this process and take some of the stress out of your recovery.
Get back on your bike
After a bike accident, it can sometimes be difficult to get back out there once you’ve physically recovered. While this is a natural fear, try to work through it so you can get back to cycling again. Don’t let one accident take something you truly enjoy away from you for the rest of your life.
Do you have questions about your case? We’re here to help! We offer free consultations daily and have free resources on our website for you to download.