SF Cyclists: watch out for distracted drivers

Motor vehicle accidents can cause serious injuries whether you are in a large truck, a compact car or on a bicycle. Here in San Francisco, there are a lot of bicyclists and bicycle accidents occur on a regular basis. Traffic accidents occur for a variety of reasons, of course, but cyclists in San Francisco have good cause to be particularly concerned about distracted driving.

That’s because a recent investigation revealed that the travel routes used by bicycle commuters are also among the areas most at risk for distracted driving. One common feature of routes with a high incidence of distracted driving is that speeding is easy and drivers can therefore become easily frustrated when traffic backs up. That frustration often leads to cell phone use and other distracted behaviors. That behavior often carries over into routes with high bicycle traffic. 

Cyclists, of course, need to be particularly cautious when moving along with traffic, for the simple reason that if an accident occurs, they are most at risk for serious injury or death. Motorists, of course, are bound to follow not only distracted driving laws, but to operate their vehicle in a reasonably safe manner at all times. Part of this is making room for cyclists in the road and paying attention so as to leave them enough space.

Although it is true that some cyclists do not themselves abide by traffic laws, motorists have no excuse when they operate a motor vehicle negligently. Cyclists who are harmed by a negligent motorist should always work with an experienced attorney to ensure they have a fighting chance of obtaining the compensation to which they are entitled.