What You Need to Know About Bike Accidents in Collingwood

Yellow Pages Admin
2 days ago
3 min read

Cycling has become a year-round activity for some, but many cyclists wait for fairer weather before getting on their bike. It’s no surprise that bicycle accidents increase in the spring and summer. Bike accidents can cause serious, life-altering injuries such as broken bones, spinal cord damage, and head injuries. In the worst cases, bike accidents are fatal.

Injuries and fatalities due to bike accidents are preventable. Let’s have a look at Ontario bike accident data to understand the major risk factors and talk about bike safety tips to reduce the likelihood of being hurt in a bike accident.

Ontario Bike Accident Data: Trends and Risk Factors

Examining the circumstances surrounding serious cycling accidents is a great way to gain insight into how crashes occur—and how to avoid them. According to the most recent Canadian data from StatsCan on fatal cycling accidents:

About 1/3rd of cyclists killed in a bike accident were not wearing a helmet.
Drugs and/or alcohol use by the cyclist may have played a role in 1 out of every 10 cycling fatalities.
More than 5 out of 10 cycling deaths occur in an urban setting.
Most cycling fatalities occurred during evening rush hour between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Failure to follow road safety rules is a factor in 1/3rd of cycling deaths.
An average of 74 cyclists die every year as a result of bike accidents. Collision with a motor vehicle was the cause of the accident in 73% of cycling fatalities.

An Ontario cyclist who is injured or killed in a collision involving a motor vehicle is entitled to compensation. Cyclists are entitled to no-fault accident benefits regardless of who caused the crash, and may also have the right to bring a personal injury lawsuit against the driver who caused the accident.

Both types of claims must be brought within set timelines or the right to make a claim will be lost. Both types of claims can be difficult to navigate without help, especially when you are struggling to cope with serious injuries. If you or a loved one has been hurt or killed in a bike-motor vehicle crash, we welcome you to contact a personal injury lawyer at our firm who serves Collingwood for legal advice and guidance.

Bike Safety Tips for Ontario Cyclists

Now that we’ve reviewed the data on risk factors and trends in fatal cycling accidents, we can distill safety tips to keep you safer when cycling in Ontario:

Wear a bike helmet at all times when cycling.
Stay sober when you ride your bike.
Use extra caution when cycling in urban areas where you’re much more likely to have to share the road with cars, trucks, busses, etc. Use bike lanes whenever possible.
Be alert and visible to other road users when cycling during evening rush hour. Wear bright and/or reflective clothing, have a light and reflectors on your bike, and eliminate distractions (e.g., don’t wear earphones to listen to music or talk on the phone when cycling).
Follow road safety rules (e.g., obey stop signs and traffic lights, don’t ride on the sidewalk, don’t ride against traffic, use hand signals when turning or stopping).

For more bike safety tips, have a look at this article prepared by a personal injury lawyer at our firm. It focuses on spring and summer cycling safety and what you need to know if you’re injured in a collision with a motor vehicle.

Legal Help If You’ve Been Hurt in a Bike Accident in Collingwood

Collingwood, Orillia, Midland and surrounding area residents who’ve been injured in a bicycle accident are encouraged to reach out to Littlejohn Barristers in Barrie.

An experienced lawyer at our personal injury law firm can examine all the facts of your case, advise you of your legal options for obtaining financial compensation, and guide you through each step of the accident claims process. We can help you build a strong case to ensure that the negligent driver is held liable for the accident.

From our office in Barrie, our personal injury lawyers serve Colling wood, Stayner, Midland, Orillia, Alliston, Innisfil, Wasaga Beach, and surrounding Ontario communities.

Call us at 705-725-7355 to schedule your free initial consultation. 