Summer is officially here, and our firm’s personal injury lawyers in San Diego know that means only one thing: bikes are out and about, with bicycle accidents following not too far behind.

Bicycle-related personal injuries are some of the most severe injuries we see when it comes to accidents.  From minor scraps to full-blown spinal cord injuries, the evidence is clear: if you ride a bike these days, you ride at your own risk.

What are the 5 most common bicycle accidents and how do you avoid them?

Realistically, our firm knows that no matter what we say, people will always ride bikes, so you might as well do it safely.  This is especially important when it comes to avoiding children’s injuries since kids might not be as aware of the rules of traffic when it comes to cars and bikes.

With that said, we’ve want to highlight five common bicycle-accident scenarios from Bicycling.com and ways to avoid getting hurt should you find yourself in one of these situations:

1)  At an intersection, a bicyclist goes straight while a car turns left. Half of all bicycle-car accidents are like this, where a left turning motorist does not see a cyclist coming through the intersection.  Avoid being hit by turning to the right with the vehicle — don’t try to make it past the car and through the intersection.

2)  Approaching an intersection, a car passes a bike on the left before turning right. Do not stay over to the right of the lane and try to share it with a car.  Instead, stay in the center of the lane (you have the right of way in all 50 states) and make the car behind you slow down.  Staying to the right of your lane might put you in the driver’s blind spot.

3)  Traveling along parked cars and a door opens in the bike path suddenly. Always keep your focus on what’s up ahead by at least three vehicles.  Take up the middle of the lane and do not ride so close to the line of parked cars.  Should you not be able to move out of the open door, apply pressure to your back wheel and hit the front brake hard.

4)  While traveling along the road, a car exits out of a parking lot. Take it from the experts when they say there is almost no good way to get out of this dangerous situation.  The best solution is to take a different route with less cars on it or, if that is not an option, simply obey the rules of the road as best you can.  One thing to avoid is riding on the sidewalks where motorists are not looking out for you.

5)  A motorist hits a cyclist from behind while coming around a curve. Even the best of driver’s cannot avoid hitting a biker when they are weaving in and out of traffic.  The best thing a cyclist can do is ride predictably and maintain a level of visibility while keeping on a straight path instead of darting around the lane.

More and more people are riding bikes, either because it saves money on gas, gets them exercise, or because they admire others who bike.  Our firm’s personal injury lawyers make it their job to ensure that you are as safe as you can be while on two unmotorized wheels.  By following these tips highlighted here, your trip will be that much safer.

For more information about bicycling, check out Bicycling.com and continue to read our blog about accident prevention and ways to stay safe.

If you are injured in a bicycle accident, contact our San Diego law firm at (800) 655-6585 for a FREE consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer.  You may also click here to submit your case for a FREE online review.

You owe nothing until we win your case.