Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Austin

While cyclists are responsible for riding safely and paying attention to their surroundings, drivers on public roads have an even greater duty to watch out for cyclists and avoid causing harm through reckless or unlawful behavior. Unfortunately, many drivers fail to meet this responsibility, and as you may have just experienced, their negligence can lead to life-changing injuries.

The common causes of bicycle accidents in Austin and throughout the state can provide strong grounds for civil litigation, allowing you to pursue comprehensive compensation for your crash-related injuries and losses. If you were recently hurt on a bike ride due to any of the following forms of misconduct, a bicycle accident attorney from Felix Gonzalez Law can help you explore and enforce your right to financial recovery.

What Traffic Violations Commonly Harm Bicyclists?

Moving violations such as speeding, running red lights, and failing to yield the right-of-way correctly are common causes of auto accidents in the Austin area, including those that involve and cause serious injuries to bicyclists. In particular, drivers failing to give cyclists a safe amount of space within traffic lanes is the source of many cycling accidents and could lead to the driver facing consequences in both traffic and civil court.

Reckless or Careless Driving

In addition to objective violations of state law, reckless or careless driving can also put bicyclists at risk. For example, texting while driving is explicitly illegal, but other forms of distracted driving are only implicitly prohibited by state law. When this common type of misconduct leads to a bicycle collision, a seasoned Austin attorney can help with collecting and presenting evidence to establish fault for ensuing injuries.

Impaired Driving

Impaired driving is another common cause of bicycling injuries in Austin. Drunk drivers are an all-too-common sight. Extreme fatigue, although less well-known, can be just as dangerous. If it can be proven that a bicyclist was struck and injured because a driver was too tired to drive safely, this could form the basis of a civil claim.

Not Accounting for Inclement Weather

Drivers must also take into consideration poor weather conditions. All drivers are expected to act reasonably when dealing with inclement weather, which means turning on headlights and reducing speed during heavy rain or fog. Failure to do so commonly results in collisions, including with bicyclists, and could qualify as legally actionable negligence, as a practiced Austin lawyer can explain further during a private initial meeting.

Contact an Austin Attorney Today To Learn More About Common Causes of Bicycle Collisions

Even if your injury was not caused by one of the common causes of bicycle accidents in Austin, you may still be able to pursue civil restitution from anyone whose negligence contributed to your harm. However, proving liability for a bicycling injury to the satisfaction of a civil court can be challenging—especially if you try to do it alone.

The team at Felix Gonzalez Law has years of experience helping injured people just like you and a proven track record of achieving favorable outcomes in similar cases. Call today to schedule a consultation and discuss your options for financial recovery.