More people are riding bicycles these days, and they aren’t all riding for recreation. When a car, motorcycle, bus, or truck hits a bicycle, it’s nearly always the unprotected bicyclist who suffers the greater harm. Most automobile drivers also have car insurance, but bicyclists typically ride uninsured. Bike riders are at a high risk for brain damage, spinal cord injury, paralysis, and limb injuries necessitating amputation. Listed here are some tips to keep you legal and safe while you enjoy bike riding in Nevada:
- At intersections in Nevada, motorists must yield to bicyclists at intersections as they would for other vehicles and pedestrians.
- Motorists, when passing a bicycle, must shift into an adjacent lane to the left if possible or pass with at least 3 feet of clearance.
- Motorists must yield to a bicyclist on a bicycle path or in a bike lane.
- Bike riders must ride on the right side of the street.
- Bicyclists must ride in a traffic lane, staying as far to the right as possible.
- Always wear a helmet. Helmets are not required by law for Nevada bicycle riders, but they substantially reduce the chance of a head injury.
- Bike riders must obey all traffic signs and signals and use hand signals.
- Always ride with the traffic, not against it, and clearly signal if you must change lanes.
- At night, wear bright clothing. If you ride at night, you probably cannot have enough lights, flashers, and reflectors on your bike – what’s important is to make certain that drivers don’t miss seeing you.
If you become injured in the Las Vegas area because another driver was negligent, you are entitled by Nevada law to full compensation for your complete medical care and rehabilitation, your lost salary or wages, and all other injury-related expenses and losses. However, being “entitled” doesn’t mean that a compensation check magically arrives in your mailbox. Injury victims have to prove that they are injured and that another driver’s carelessness is responsible for the accident and injury. If you file a personal injury claim because of a bicycle accident, you may want to know what you can expect to be awarded. A number of factors have to be considered. Can you present evidence that the other person was at fault? Were you partially responsible for the accident in any way? Were you wearing a helmet? If it was dark, were you using lights? Did you have any pre-existing injury or medical condition? What are the nature and extent of your injury or injuries? Were you unable to work, and if so, for how long? Before you can begin to determine how much compensation to seek, a good personal injury lawyer will have to have the answers to these questions.
Your attorney will want to make sure that you are receiving the right medical attention and that your physician has properly diagnosed and documented the extent of your injuries, your future treatment needs, and your prospects for recovery. When this information becomes available, an experienced personal injury attorney can finally give you a fair figure for your claim’s value and help you reach a settlement or judgment.
Don’t agree to any settlement or sign any document prior to consulting with a good personal injury lawyer. Make and keep copies of medical bills and tests, the police accident report, and any other paperwork related to the accident and injury. If you can take photos of the accident scene, do it, and if your injuries are visible, have them photographed as well.
Take your case immediately to an experienced Las Vegas personal injury lawyer who can fight on your behalf for the full compensation you need and the justice you deserve. Don’t wait – evidence can be lost, and witnesses can become forgetful if you don’t put a good personal injury attorney on the case as quickly as possible.
Drivers Must Be Alert
Drivers must be alert for bicyclists. No one is more defenseless than a bicycle rider or a pedestrian in the path of three tons of steel advancing at 35 miles per hour.
Motorists should always practice patience on the road to protect the lives of bicyclists. Remember to wait until it is safe before passing a bicyclist and never tailgate close behind them. Make sure there is plenty of space between you and the bicyclist at all times. If you pass by a bicyclist and are too close to him, the force of your car passing by may pull the bicyclist off his course and cause an injury. If both you and a bicyclist are approaching an intersection and you both are signaling a turn to the right, do not try to speed up and pass the bicyclist to turn in front of him. Allow the bicyclist to make the turn before you proceed forward with yours.
Motorists should also give bicyclists the right of way when they are legally entitled to it. It can be hard to judge the distance that a bicycle can travel within a few seconds, so be sure to give bicyclists extra time to pass through an intersection before you move your vehicle forward.
Remember, if there is not enough room for a cyclist to ride to the ride of the right, they are legally permitted to move closer to the traffic lane, and sometimes even ride directly in the lane of traffic. Drivers should be aware of these rules and adjust their driving as needed. Never act aggressively towards a cyclist and always allow them the space they need to ride safely on the road.
If you or someone you love is injured – now or in the future – while bicycling in the Las Vegas area, and if another person’s negligent or reckless driving caused the accident and injury, contact a good personal injury attorney at once. You have the right to be reimbursed for your medical treatment and related expenses if negligence caused your injury, but you must take the first step and call an experienced Las Vegas personal injury attorney immediately.
