Van Nuys Bicycle Accidents
Van Nuys sits in the middle of Los Angeles’ northwest population quadrant and is home to over 100,000 people. At any given time, you see people walking, skating and biking up and down the streets among the cars and trucks. This poses significant dangers for those non-motorists as they navigate their way alongside the motor vehicles. However, no amount of caution and vigilance is going to be enough to stop all accidents, and some of the more common ways these accidents occur are:- Motorist Tunnel Vision: The low profile of a cyclist is a problem for riders as they often go unseen by motorists even though they are right in the driver’s field of vision.
- Right Hook: Cars and trucks often make a right turn from the far-right lane, and if a cyclist is in a bike lane or in the space between the car and the curb, the car will hit the cyclist.
- Left Hook: A left hook happens when a car turns left into the path of a cyclist that has the right-of-way, and the car driver doesn’t see the cyclist.
- Dooring: Doorings can cause serious injury or death and happens when a parked motorist opens their car door into the path of a bicycle.
- Blind Spots: Every motor vehicle has blind spots, and bicycles fit nicely in most of them putting the cyclist at risk for a collision and injury.
- Bike Lanes: A cyclist is required to use a bike lane if one exists and they are unable to keep up with the flow of traffic. Many times people block the lanes causing the cyclist to veer into traffic, or the motorist just comes over the bike lane to park or stop along the curb and runs into a cyclist.
Common Bike Accident Injuries
At the Law Offices of Steers & Associates, we feel that a cyclist has just as much right to the road as any motor vehicle, and should be able to use those streets without being hit and injured by negligent motor vehicle drivers. A bike is outweighed by a typical passenger vehicle by a factor of 20. This can lead to serious injuries, leaving the victim to lose wages and potential mobility. We work hard for our injured cyclists, enabling them to focus on their recovery. Some of the common injuries that we see are:- Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Severe Concussions
- Fractured Collarbone
- Wrist Fractures
- Broken Arms/Legs
- Chest Compressions
- Internal Injuries/Bleeding
- Severe Road Rash
