When you ride a bike around vehicles, you face serious risks. If a negligent driver hits you, the accident could leave you with debilitating injuries that cause physical, emotional and even financial hardships. It is important to go over data on these accidents in order to understand how widespread they have become and prioritize prevention.
Sadly, drivers keep hitting cyclists for a host of reasons, such as operating a vehicle under the influence and failing to pay attention to the road. Those responsible for injuring bikers must face consequences for their actions.
Thousands of bike accident injuries occur every year
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration publishes data on bike accidents each year. Throughout 2020, more than 38,000 bicyclists suffered injuries in accidents involving vehicles, and more than 49,000 became injured over the course of 2019. Bike accident victims represented 1.7% of those who suffered injuries in traffic accidents during 2020.
It is also crucial to understand that some injuries claim lives. During 2020, 938 bicyclists lost their lives due to collisions that involved vehicles. This particular statistic shows these types of collisions rose up 9% from 2019.
The aftermath of a bike accident injury
Following a bike accident, you could have difficulties that impact many aspects of your life. Losing the ability to walk, work or enjoy your hobbies could cause emotional and financial hurdles. During this difficult time, you need to stay focused on recovering. If your bike accident injury occurred because of the negligence of another party, make sure you gather evidence and pinpoint the best path forward.
