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Sudden accidents and injuries can disrupt lives. During these tough moments, personal injury lawyers are vital. They specialize in representing those harmed by others' negligence, helping them secure proper compensation. This article discusses the important role personal injury lawyers play in navigating claims and helping people reclaim their lives.

Just like drinking and driving, drinking and biking do not mix. Alcohol impairs your cognitive and motor skills and slows your reaction time. Despite the obvious dangers of operating a motor vehicle or bicycle while under the influence of alcohol, millions of people still do it. Roughly 3.2 percent of Iowans admit to getting behind the wheel in the past 30 days after drinking too much, which, incidentally, is significantly higher than the national average of 1.9 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Statistical Snapshot of Alcohol-Related Bike Accidents

Statistics don’t lie. One glance at the following figures provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and it becomes obvious just how deadly the mix between alcohol and driving/biking can be.

- In 34 percent of fatal bicycle accidents, either the cyclist or the driver was under the influence of alcohol.
- Of all the bicyclists who died in traffic accidents in 2013, 20 percent had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 g/dL, the legal limit for alcohol, and nearly one-quarter of them had BAC of 0.01 g/dL.

Intoxication Affects Bike Accident Liability

In addition to putting your and others’ lives in danger when you bike or drink while under the influence, you also put yourself at risk legally. First of all, if you are ever responsible for an accident and your BAC exceeded the legal limits, you will be subject to criminal charges. This can mean jail time, fines, and lost driving privileges, among other penalties.

Also, driving or cycling while intoxicated is considered negligence in an accident claim or lawsuit. As such, if ever you are in a crash and were inebriated at the time, you will be the party responsible for the damages. This is because Iowa is an at-fault car insurance state. This means that when you hurt someone, they are legally entitled to pursue recovery from you, i.e., sue you.

Involved in an Alcohol-Related Bike Accident? Call Our Injury Attorney for a Free Consultation.

If you were recently in a bicycle accident and sustained damages, it’s in your best interest to run your case by an attorney to determine your options and the best way to seek restitution.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), every year more than 4,000 pedestrians are killed in traffic accidents and tens of thousands are injured across the United States. It is imperative that pedestrians learn about the pedestrian laws in their state to ensure they’re in compliance and prevent dangerous accidents.

The NHTSA reports that 75 percent of pedestrian accidents occur in urban areas, on clear or cloudy days, and at nighttime. Read about the pedestrian laws in Iowa before chasing an accident claim.

The Pedestrian Laws in Iowa

In Iowa, traffic laws specify that pedestrians must obey the rules of the road and the traffic control signals. They also dictate who has the right of way at intersections and elsewhere on the road. A pedestrian has the right of way at intersections where there are no traffic lights and when walking on the crosswalk, both marked and unmarked.

A motorist has to yield to pedestrians when entering or leaving:

- a driveway;
- a parking lot; or
- an alley.

However, pedestrians should be extremely cautious when crossing and never assume that a vehicle will stop even if a law mandates it.

The above-mentioned law also entails that a pedestrian give right of way to motorists, which also includes cyclists, when crossing a road at any point other than an intersection, where there are no marked or unmarked crosswalks. A pedestrian also has to give the right of way to motorists and cyclists when crossing a roadway where a pedestrian tunnel or overhead crossing is available.

Further, a pedestrian must stay on the left side and thus face oncoming traffic when walking on or along a road or a highway where there is no sidewalk. This is also logical since if someone is driving badly or swerves, the pedestrian can attempt to move out of the way.

Iowa traffic laws also address hitchhiking. Pedestrians cannot stand on the roadway even for the purpose of soliciting vehicles to hitchhike. However, a walker can stand on any portion of a roadway that is usually not used by vehicles to solicit a ride from any motorist.

Law-Abiding Pedestrians Who End Up as Accident Victims

Like pedestrian laws, there are also specific laws for motorists in Iowa to ensure that the latter can be safe on the roads and to prevent causing harm to walkers and cyclists. However, in spite of all the laws, pedestrians often become involved in a motor accident through no fault of their own.

Pedestrians who are injured in road accidents because a motorist may have failed to abide by laws can file for damages and seek compensation for the physical and emotional trauma suffered.

Pedestrians can present:

- medical bills;
- evidence of lost wages; and
- various documentation, testimony, or other evidence to establish other types of damages.

This may be a challenging task if the plaintiff does not obtain the guidance of a personal injury attorney who is familiar with these cases. An attorney can not only help collect evidence, but can assist victims in building a case that establishes a motorist’s negligence caused the accident.

A Right Hook Accident

A right hook accident refers to an accident type where a car that’s making a right-hand turn turns into the path of the cyclist. Right hook crashes can happen at intersections or when pulling out of a driveway or parking lot. Because some drivers fail to use their turn signals, knowing if a driver is going to make a turn in front of you, “hooking” you, can be challenging.

However, this accident type can be avoided if you’re biking consciously. One tip to avoid this accident type is to make sure that when stopped at a red light or stop sign, you always are slightly in front of vehicles in the right-hand lane.

This way, the motorist will have you in his or her direct vision. The other way to avoid this is never to pass a vehicle on the right, as it’s unlikely that the car will be expecting you if they decide to make a right turn. Instead, always pass on the left.

A "Dooring" Accident

A "dooring" accident can be very severe. This accident type occurs when a cyclist is riding between the lanes of traffic and parked cars on the right-hand side of the road.

When a motorist opens a door on the left side of the vehicle unexpectedly, the door may either block the cyclist from continuing forward or slam directly into the cyclist. A car door accident may cause the cyclist to swerve, turning the bike into oncoming traffic.

Dooring accidents can be tough to avoid, especially when the distance between fast-moving traffic and parked cars is minimal. If a bike lane is available separate from the road, always choose this as the preferred route. Otherwise, always stay alert for parked cars, and slow down and pay attention when approaching one.

A Vehicle Turning Left

At an intersection, left-turning vehicles are usually required to yield (unless they have a green turn arrow) to oncoming traffic from the opposite direction. Unfortunately, bicyclists—especially when lighting is poor—can be much harder to see than other cars.

As such, a vehicle may assume that the road is clear, and make a left-hand turn directly into or in front of a cyclist passing straight through the light.

The best way to avoid this accident type is to make sure that your bike has a light and that you’re wearing bright colors; this will improve your visibility. Additionally, try to make eye contact with left-turning drivers before proceeding through an intersection. Also, don’t ride on the sidewalk as motorists don't check sidewalks for fast-moving vehicles.

Failure to Yield

The final most common type of bicycle accident occurs when the cyclist fails to yield to a vehicle in an intersection. It can be easy to misjudge an oncoming car’s speed and distance.

Make sure you always exercise caution when proceeding into an intersection. Even if you do have the right of way, double-check before entering an intersection to ensure that you’re in the clear and that other drivers can see you.

Talk to a Lawyer if You’re in a Bicycle Accident

If you are in a bicycle accident in Iowa, the attorneys at Walker, Billingsley & Bair can handle all aspects of your case, including:

- Determining fault
- Filing your claim for damages against the insurance company
- Filing a lawsuit if your injuries are severe or if your claim is denied

We Are Here To Help

Remember, you are not alone in recovering from your injuries. We have helped thousands of Iowans through their physical, emotional, and financial recoveries. If you have questions about what you are going through, feel free to call our office for your confidential injury conference. We will take the time to listen to you and give you our advice concerning your injury matter at no cost or risk to you.

Free Book at No Cost 

If you are not ready to speak with an attorney yet but would like to learn more about Iowa injury cases including tips about how you can avoid making common costly mistakes request a copy of our Iowa Personal Injury book which includes 14 myths about Iowa injury cases and 5 things to know before hiring an attorney.

If you have specific questions about your injury matter feel free to call our office to speak with our Injury team at 641-792-3595 or use our Chat feature by clicking here 24 hours a day/7 days per week. Your information will remain confidential and there is no cost or obligation.