There’s no denying the rising popularity of bicycle commuting around the Philadelphia area. Take a look at some of these statistics from the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia:
- Overall, bicycle commuting in Greater Philadelphia grew 260% from 2005 to 2013.
- Of the top ten most populated cities in the U.S., Philadelphia has the 2nd highest percentage of commuters who do not drive to work.
- Center City and South Philly are two of the nation’s top 25 neighborhoods for bicycle commuting.
- In 2005, the number of bikes on Market St. per peak hour was 46. In 2013, it was 85.
With this bursting popularity comes a significant danger: the mix of cars and bikes on the road. In this article, we’ll detail some laws and statistics to know so our commutes can be safe for everyone no matter the vehicle type.
Bicycling Laws to Know
According to the state’s laws, a bicycle is considered a vehicle, and you must obey all of the laws that apply to other vehicles. There is also a set of rules that apply specifically to bicycles, such as:
- Like all road users, slower vehicles should keep to the right. Bicyclists may ride in the left lane of a one-way street that has multiple lanes. However, this does not apply to freeways.
- Bicycles are not permitted on freeways in Pennsylvania without permission of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
- Anyone under the age of 12 must wear a helmet when riding a bicycle. This applies to anyone operating the bicycle, riding as a passenger, or riding in an attached restraining seat or trailer.
Cars and Bicycles: A Dangerous Combo
Check out some of these alarming statistics about when and where most bicycle accident deaths and injuries occur:
- Children are more likely to die from motor vehicle-related bicycle crashes at non-intersection locations (74 percent), during the months of April through October (81 percent) and between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. (55 percent).
- Nearly 60 percent of all childhood bicycle-related deaths occur on minor roads. The typical bicycle/motor vehicle crash occurs within 1 mile of the bicyclist’s home.
- Children ages 4 and under are more likely to be injured in non-street locations around the home (e.g., driveway, garage, and yard) than are children ages 5 to 14.
- Children ages 14 and under are nearly four times more likely to be injured riding in non-daylight hours (e.g., at dawn, dusk or night) than during the daytime.
- Among children ages 14 and under, more than 80 percent of bicycle-related fatalities are associated with the bicyclist’s behavior, including riding into a street without stopping, turning left or swerving into traffic that is coming from behind, running a stop sign, and riding against the flow of traffic.
A Claim Is Still Possible Without a Collision
Many people are under the misconception that there has to be physical contact between a cyclist and a motor vehicle for the motorist to be liable. This is not true. There are many situations where cyclists are injured when they take evasive action to avoid being hit, and crash as a result. The motorist can still be held liable if their negligence required the cyclist to take the evasive action.
How We Can Help
Bicycle riders in violation of the traffic laws greatly increase the risk of a crash and will likely be found at fault in the event of an accident. With my expertise, I will work tirelessly to protect your rights and recover the compensation you deserve. If you were injured in a bicycle accident through no fault of your own, contact me now at (267) 627-4JOE (267-627-4563) for a free consultation and we can begin the path to recovery together.
Our promise is to deliver outstanding customer service and our motto is: More Service than You Would Expect.
Joe Mitchell: Harvard Educated, Street Smart. Philadelphia Accident Attorney
