Quick Thinking When Injured in a Bicycle Hit and Run

Bicyclists deserve the same rights as everyone else that shares the roadways. When a negligent driver is driving out of control and forces a bicyclist from the road, causing them severe injuries and more, and then drives away, a lot is at risk. This is a crime known as a hit and run, and they are very serious. This blatant disregard for another human shows that a driver didn’t care enough to see if a bicyclist was okay, or even alive. If you have been involved in a hit and run accident while on your bicycle, you may have questions about how to move forward.

Every year, hit and run accidents happen across the state of California, some more serious than others. In fact, in October 2017, four cyclists were involved in a charity fundraising bike ride when a hit and run driver plowed into them after “intentionally swerving right” to make sure he hit each one. The driver didn’t stop and fled the scene. Unfortunately, we don’t want to think about these accidents happening because it allows a distrust for passenger vehicle drivers, but they actually happen more commonly than we would think, which is why we should always be prepared.

There are many reasons why drivers flee the scene, even if we don’t want to think about these terrible events. Sometimes they flee because they don’t have insurance on their vehicles and don’t want to be caught. Sometimes a driver has a warrant or a suspended license and shouldn’t actually be driving. Sometimes, they may not have stopped because they were illegally driving drunk. In some other cases, they may have been distracted by a cell phone or other reasons. No matter what the case, these acts are illegal and could lead to immense criminal charges for a vehicle driver when a bicyclist is left injured.

After You Have Been Injured

If you are a bicyclist who has been injured in a hit and run, there are some things that you should do. Of course, the first step involves calling the police when you are able to. You should always report the accident as soon as possible so law enforcement can try to catch the person who hit you. Your injuries will be documented during this process, which will be helpful further down the line if the driver is caught and a case is made against them.

You may also want to take other steps, such as attempting to grab the license plate number of the person before they speed away, or how the person looked if you took a good look at them. You will want to get contact information from any witnesses who may have seen something. Something you do not want to do is attempt to leave your bicycle behind and chase after the driver, as this could lead to undesirable results.

No matter what you do, you should always have a personal injury attorney on your side when you have been injured in a hit and run accident while on your bicycle. We want you to get the most out of your case at the Los Angeles Injury Group, so give us a call as soon as possible to get started. Call us today at 310-954-7248.

Sources:

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2017/10/07/cyclists-struck-by-point-reyes-hit-and-run-driver/

https://www.hg.org/article.asp?id=31545

https://www.infinityauto.com/knowledge-center/road-safety-advice/hit-and-run-accident-what-do-next

https://www.losangelesinjurygroup.com/