Articles & Resources

Every cyclist should know three essential bike hand signals. To go left, extend your left arm straight out to the side. For a right turn, point your right arm straight out, or raise the left one upward at a 90-degree angle. To signal a stop, lower it downward with your palm open and facing behind you. These universal gestures are recognized across all 50 states and should...

Most bicycle accident settlements in New York City land between $50,000 and $200,000 when injuries are moderate and driver fault is clear. Your number depends on the crash and injury severity. The national median bicycle accident settlement is around $45,000, but the average bicycle accident settlement in NYC runs higher because of medical expenses, insurance policy limits,...

No. You cannot be charged with DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) for riding a traditional, human-powered bike. DWI laws apply exclusively to motorized vehicles (VTL § 1192), and a bicycle is not a motorized vehicle (VTL § 125). However, drunk biking carries serious legal consequences, and e-bikes have their own dedicated DUI statute with different rules. If you are a person...

Bicycling is on the rise in the U.S. In 2024, a record 112M Americans rode a bike at least once. While such popularity brings overall positive signals, there is room for safety concerns, too. After all, cyclist fatality rates account for almost 3% of all traffic fatalities recorded in the country. There are multiple contributing factors to this unfavorable trend, and a...

The outcome of a bicycle accident claim in Phoenix usually depends on a few core factors: who was at fault, how strong your evidence is, how serious your injuries are, how much insurance coverage is available, and whether you act before key deadlines expire. These factors affect both liability and the amount of compensation you may actually recover after a crash. Common...

If you hit a cyclist with your car, you may face a police report, traffic citations, an insurance claim, civil responsibility for the cyclist’s medical expenses and lost wages, property damage, higher car insurance premiums, and possible criminal prosecution. In the event of a motor vehicle collision, understanding the situation early helps both parties protect their...

After a bike accident, move out of the traffic lane, call 911, and do not admit fault. Photograph the place, your injuries, and property damage, then collect witness contact details and exchange policy details with the motorist. Seek medical attention within 24 hours, whether you were doored, struck in a lane, or hit at an intersection. Adrenaline masks concussions, fractures,...

According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 1 in 5 cyclists injured in a US traffic accident in 2023 was struck by someone who left the scene, and more than 70% of everyone killed in a hit-and-run that year was on foot or biking (AAA Foundation, 2026). The National Safety Council estimates that bicyclist fatalities from hit-and-run accidents are among the fastest-growing...

A cycling accident caused by a pothole and poor road maintenance can leave you facing serious injuries and mounting costs, but many of these accidents go unreported. Over 13% of bicycle accidents caused by potholes, debris and other road hazards result from riding into a surface defect. States, counties, and cities owe a duty of care to maintain public roads in reasonably...

The most common cause of serious bicycle accidents is a broadside crash at an intersection, where an automobile and a rider cross paths, accounting for about 35% of fatal and serious crashes (SafeTREC, 2025). The top factors are unsafe velocity (16.5%), failing to yield (16.3%), and improper turning (15%). In 82% of fatal crashes, the front of the automobile struck the...

Wearing a helmet reduces the odds of a serious or fatal head injury by 60 to 70%, and brain injuries remain a leading cause of death in bicycle crashes. In 2024, 68% of US cyclists killed were not wearing a helmet, 14% were, and helmet use was unknown for the rest (IIHS Fatality Facts 2024, Bicyclists). But the raw fatality share is widely misread, and bicycle helmets...

Are bikes allowed on sidewalks? As of 2026, sidewalk cycling is legal in many areas but is often discouraged due to safety risks and is regulated by local ordinances. According to the League of American Bicyclists Sidewalk Riding Laws Table, most states either explicitly permit sidewalk riding or remain silent, deferring to local ordinance. Only a handful of states prohibit...

In 2023, 1,155 bicyclists were killed in traffic crashes in the United States, the highest recorded number and an 86% increase from the 2010 low point. Cyclists account for just 1% of all trips, yet they represent 2–3% of all motor-vehicle-related deaths. Most fatal bicycle crashes occur in urban areas, at non-intersection locations, and increasingly involve light...

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...

Shared fault rules determine how blame and compensation are divided in bicycle accidents. Each party gets a percentage of fault, and the injured cyclist’s recovery is reduced by that same percentage. In some states, partial fault only lowers what you can recover. In others, reaching a certain fault threshold bars recovery completely. The law in your state affects both...

There is no single deadline to correct or amend a police report after a bicycle accident, whether the incident involved a car or another type of collision. In most cases, your best chance is to act within the first few days or up to two weeks, before the filing starts influencing the claim and other parts of the case. You may be able to fix a factual inaccuracy, add missing...

In 2025, Georgia recorded 31 bicycle fatalities, up from 23 cyclist deaths in 2023, according to the state’s live crash dashboard. In the most recent full statewide fact sheet, Georgia reported 921 bicycle crashes, 23 cyclist fatalities, and 140 serious or fatal injury crashes in 2023. The long-term trend is also moving in the wrong direction: bicyclist deaths in...