Accidents happen all the time. While that is true and will always be true, not everyone gets to walk away from them says avid cyclist Joe O’Connor. Some accidents, like car-bike collisions, are often fatal.
Car-bike collisions happen often enough – so much so that this year, cyclists have staged “die-ins” in front of Toronto City Hall to protest a recent string of cycling-related deaths.
Statistics collected by the Toronto Police & Transportation Services show that there were 1,042 car-bike accidents in the first nine months of 2013, compared to 1,475 for all of 2012. That means that in 2012, every six hours a bicyclist was hit by a car. These numbers are low and misleading, given that they only reflect the accidents that are actually reported; many people do not report their accidents.
In Toronto, for instance, there are 52 collisions per 100,000 people. Montreal has 37 per 100,000 people and Ottawa 36 per 100,000. Montreal also has about 150km of cycle tracks — bike-only lanes that, by some form of barrier, are completely separated from traffic. Toronto has only about 15km of similar bike-friendly infrastructure.
Helmets are important, but helmets are not enough. It is important that both cyclists and drivers remain alert and aware of their surroundings, in order to avoid setting off a “cycling war.”
When Joe O’Connor was hit, he says that, “The driver was mortified. He felt awful, and even offered to drive me to the hospital, and kept saying how sorry he was, just like the driver of the van kept saying how sorry he was for clocking the woman Thursday.”
When it comes to accidents, sorry isn’t enough. As a cyclist or a driver, it is imperative that you exercise due caution and, if hit or injured, that you speak to an accident lawyer to ensure that your rights are protected. Book a free consultation or call 1-855-446-7765 for immediate assistance.
