Around Cheney, it’s pretty common for drivers to come upon a long straightaway and make the decision to hit the gas, ignoring speed limits and caution. That can be a scary moment for a bicyclist traveling the same lane. Mixing distraction and high speed can leave a cyclist at severe risk in a collision, but even slower impacts between a car and a rider can prove devastating for someone on a bike.
A bicyclist can be out to enjoy the fresh air or for a strenuous ride out to Fish Lake Park, but there’s never a moment where riders can forget about the dangers they face from other travelers. A driver in a car, truck, or SUV can glance down to grab their cup of coffee, or be distracted by a cellphone notification and not realize they are squeezing a cyclist off the road and into a dangerous fall.
Bicycling Accident Dangers in Cheney
Cyclists can face traffic hazards no matter when they ride, but the Spokane Regional Health District finds that the region sees the most bicycle accidents around 5 p.m. with 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. being the most dangerous stretch of the day. July ranks as the biggest month of the year for these accidents.
The Washington DOT documented 90 bicycle accidents in Spokane County in 2019 with over 40 serious injuries resulting from those crashes.
KREM2-TV reported on a new law as of October 2020 meant to cut down on bicycle accidents across Washington. The new “safety stop” law permits cyclists to treat stop signs more like yield signs. People on bicycles don’t have to stop at a stop sign if the coast is clear. The new strategy was pioneered in Idaho and our neighboring state has seen a reduction in bicycling accidents since this law was adopted.
Common Accident Injuries for Cheney Cyclists
As long as there are careless drivers on the road bicyclists will continue to be put in bad situations that lead to collisions. In the aftermath, the focus should be on the recovery of the victims and getting them back on their bicycles as soon as possible.
Yet, due to the range of severe injuries possible in a bicycle accident, it’s also vital to make sure at-fault drivers and their insurance representatives are held accountable. Hospital bills and lost wages at work can threaten to send a cyclist into financial ruin in a matter of weeks if help is not secured.
The cost of hospital care can create an immediate need for compensation for the victim. And with serious injuries, the need for more support in the months and years to come may also be necessary.
These are just some of the catastrophic injuries that cyclists can face after a crash:
- Head and Brain Injury – Cyclists wear helmets because their heads are so vulnerable in a collision and a fall. A blow to the head can leave victims unable to form new memories, cause amnesia, and result in the inability to speak or understand language.
- Loss of Limbs – Limbs and digits can be smashed or sheared off by impact force.
- Road rash – Abrasions caused by sliding along a rough surface. These injuries can lead to severe infections and may require a skin graft to heal.
- Facial and Dental Injury – Cyclists can leave their bikes and be sent face-first to the ground. Delicate facial bones and jawbones can fracture and tooth damage is possible.
- Paralysis – Paraplegia is a loss of function in the lower half of the body and quadriplegia is a loss of function in both the upper and lower regions.
- Fractured Bones – Broken bones in the arms, chest, neck, and shoulders are common outcomes.
Contact a Cheney Bicycle Accident Lawyer
Established in Spokane in 1948, Crary, Clark, Domanico, & Chuang, P.S. is committed to providing victims across Spokane County with the absolute highest quality legal representation. If our Cheney Bicycle Accident Lawyers represent you for your accident case, you have our assurance that we will use our absolute best efforts to secure fair compensation so that you can pay your medical bills and begin to get back into a normal life routine. Contact us after any bicycle accident resulting in a serious injury for a free, confidential consultation and case evaluation. We will only offer you advice that is in your best interest.
