Articles & Resources

From April 28, 2025, the NYPD issued criminal summonses to many cyclists stopped for low-level traffic offenses. Since March 27, 2026, the city has handled those offenses as traffic tickets again, so most riders no longer face a criminal court date. Those offenses include red-light, stop sign, traffic control device and wrong way violations. A few offenses can still...

In New York City, you follow the same traffic laws as drivers, plus city rules on bike lanes, sidewalks and e-bike speed. A new state rule very likely applies to bicyclists hit by a car in injury lawsuits filed on or after May 26, 2026. Do Cyclists Have the Same Rights as Drivers in NYC? New York’s Vehicle and Traffic Law (VTL § 1231) gives you the rights and...

You can correct or amend a police report after a bicycle accident, usually by asking the police department that wrote it to fix the specific mistake and proving the correct information with documentation. The police officer’s account of how the car accident happened is harder to amend, and it matters, because the driver’s insurance company often starts from...

No police accident report legally decides liability, and in most states the report form for a car accident involving a bicycle has no box labeled fault. The view of liability is still spread across sections of the form most people skim, and it can rest on the driver’s account alone if an ambulance took you away before the officer gathered statements. If the report...

On a bike you have no frame or airbag to absorb a crash, so your head often takes the impact against the road or a car. Brain injuries can change how you work, sleep and think for months afterward. Helmet use cuts head injury risk by about half, although none is concussion-proof. How Common Are Head Injuries in Bicycle Accidents? Head injuries show up in about one in...

When a car hits your bike in New York, the motorist is not automatically at fault. Responsibility goes to whoever broke a traffic rule or failed to take reasonable care, and it can be split between cyclists and drivers. No-fault insurance can pay your medical bills no matter who caused the collision. For personal injury lawsuits filed on or after May 26, 2026, a 2026 statute...

Arizona’s statute of limitations gives cyclists two years to sue after a hit-and-run accident, usually counted from the crash date. A government vehicle changes those rules, and if you were under 18, the two years start on your 18th birthday. If the driver is never identified, uninsured motorist (UM) coverage may still pay for your injuries, written notice to your...

If you hit a cyclist with your car, you must stop, help, and report the accident. Depending on fault and injuries, the driver may face a traffic citation and an insurance or personal injury claim. A driver may also face criminal charges if their conduct meets the requirements of a state offense, such as impaired or reckless driving, criminally negligent driving, or leaving...

New York State calls a DUI a DWI, and it cannot give you one for riding a pedal bicycle while intoxicated, because its DWI rules apply only to motor vehicles and one you pedal is not. If you ride an electric bike, the answer changes, because a separate statute can reach a misdemeanor or a Class E felony, but only after a crash. Can You Get a DWI on a Pedal Bike in New...

New York State law requires certified headgear for children under 14 and anyone on a Class 3 e-bike, and the city adds a bike helmet law for working cyclists. If you are in a crash without protective headgear, the missing protection does not count toward your share of fault, even after a traumatic brain injury. Who Must Wear a Bicycle Helmet in New York Section 1238 of...

You can ride a bicycle on a sidewalk in most of the United States, but the traffic law that governs your ride is usually local. This article covers the law in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, based on research by attorneys at Bicycle Accident Lawyers Group (BALG). Who Decides Whether a Person Can Ride on the Sidewalk? Your local government usually decides, inside...

After a bicycle accident leaves you injured, the idea of hiring legal representation can seem like just another burden on top of overwhelming medical expenses. In reality, having an experienced attorney on your side can relieve that pressure, as they are equipped to secure far greater compensation than you would likely be able to obtain on your own. There are various ways...

Phoenix maintains two rankings of its most dangerous intersections, and they barely agree. The citywide ranking, the 2024 High Injury Network, counts collisions involving anyone on the street. The bicycle ranking, which Phoenix released in March 2026, scores each crossing mainly on accidents that injured riders. You cannot plan a bicycle route from the citywide ranking,...

If an insurance company adjuster has already put a percentage of the blame on you, that number is an opening position you can fight, because only a court makes a legal finding of fault. Comparative negligence lowers your bicycle accident recovery by your share of responsibility, and in most states bars recovery once your share passes half. An experienced attorney can challenge...

Several insurance policies can pay after a bicycle accident, from the at-fault driver’s liability to your own auto coverage, homeowners insurance, and health plan, and none pays for everything. Medical bills arrive before anyone assigns blame, so start with the plan that pays before blame is settled. Knowing which types of insurance cover bicycle accidents helps...

In a city of 1.6 million people, the worst corner recorded four collisions. That is why rankings built on all traffic accidents, including car accidents and other vehicle accidents, name entirely different corners. The bicycle accident statistics in Phoenix below come from the city’s own publications rather than totals for Maricopa County, home to the wider Phoenix...

A New York City bicycle accident claim runs on two tracks, and you need to open both. No-fault pays up to $50,000 no matter who caused the accident. A liability case against the at-fault motorist covers everything no-fault doesn’t, including compensation for pain and suffering. Written notice is due within 30 days. Since May 26, 2026, being more than 50 percent responsible...

If a car hit you on your bike, get checked by a doctor today even if you feel fine, collect the driver’s contact information, insurance policy details, and plate number, and then avoid discussing fault or your injuries with their insurance company.  The driver’s liability insurer usually pays for your injuries in the end, but your own health and auto insurance...

In New York, the average settlement for a bicycle accident generally ranges from $10,000 to $500,000, though the amount can vary greatly depending on the case details. The final settlement is influenced by factors such as the severity of injuries, medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering. In cases involving a fatality, settlements may be substantially higher due...