As with accidents between cars, when motor vehicle drivers cause accidents involving bicyclists, the driver’s car insurance company will do everything in its power to keep settlements low. Attorneys experienced in dealing with insurance companies and aggressively litigating bike/car accident cases are necessary for victims of these accidents. The accident attorneys at Samuel S. Hansuld, P.C. can help you obtain compensation for your injuries if a motorist has injured you while you were cycling.

Calls for improved bicyclist safety and safer roads for cycling led Governor Ritter to sign the Bicycle Safety Act in May of 2009 in Colorado Springs. It officially took effect later that year. The Bicycle Safety Act creates obligations for both bicyclists and the motorists on the road with them. Both sides can find themselves in trouble with the law for failing to obey the state’s law.

The Bicycle Safety Act provides as follows for cyclists:

• Bicyclists may ride side-by-side with each other, but they should move into single-file formation when vehicles are passing them.

• Cyclists should always ride in the right half of lanes.

• On one-way streets, bicyclists can ride either to the far left or to the far right.

• Bicyclists should never ride against traffic (that is, towards incoming traffic); instead, they should always go in the direction traffic is flowing.

• Bicyclists must use a reflector, headlights and taillights at night.

The Bicycle Safety Act requires motor vehicle drivers to act as follows with respect to cyclists:

• Vehicles must provide at least three feet of space to bicyclists when passing, and crossing the center line to do so is permissible as long as it is safe to cross it.

• Certain aggressive acts, like swerving at bicyclists (often referred to as “buzzing”) or throwing objects at bicyclists, are illegal.

Even though states are increasingly looking to provide for bicyclists’ safety, many drivers refuse to share the road with bicyclists, or they put bicyclists at risk by driving aggressively or driving while distracted. A surprising number of motorists behave with intentional violence towards bicyclists. Contact a Denver accident lawyer at Samuel Hansuld, P.C. to learn how you can hold negligent, reckless, violent or aggressive drivers responsible for bike accidents they cause. Our attorneys will meet face-to-face with you from the start to hear your concerns. You have nothing to lose by calling today – our consultations are free, and you pay nothing unless we succeed.