A June 30, 2015, an article published in the Philadelphia Inquirer – “For Bicyclists – Tough Road in the Suburbs” – highlighted a significant problem in the state of Pennsylvania: while Philadelphia itself has more than 200 bike lanes, surrounding suburbs have far less. With a lack of bicycle infrastructure, the risk of being involved in a bicycle accident is much higher for cyclists outside of the city.
The Problem of Poor Bicycle Infrastructure
The problem of poor bicycle infrastructure in Philadelphia’s suburbs is clear; cyclists have few protected places to ride safely, and are forced to travel in areas where vehicles are present, and on roads that are highly trafficked.
In fact, the article points out that while Philadelphia has more than 200 bikes lanes, the surrounding counties have less than 1/10 of that combined.
- Bucks County
- Chester County
- Delaware County
- Montgomery County
The lack of trails and bike lanes puts cyclists more at-risk for an accident and doesn’t encourage people living in the suburbs to choose cycling over driving for commuting purposes. The Cordisco & Saile website has a large pedestrian and bicycle accident library that details some of the issues that plague bicyclists in Pennsylvania.
Responsibilities of Drivers in Spite of Poor Infrastructure
Despite the lack of good bike infrastructure in Pennsylvania, drivers still have the responsibility to follow traffic laws, yield to bikers when appropriate, and exercise safe, defensive driving behavior.
Bicyclists in Pennsylvania are afforded the same rights as operators of motor vehicles; they have the right to operate bikes on the road and are considered vehicles under Pennsylvania Code. Of course, this also means that cyclists too have the responsibility and obligation to follow traffic laws.
Who’s liable for a bicycle accident?
Bike lane or no, both drivers and cyclists need to operate their vehicles safely on Pennsylvania roads. If an accident does occur, liability will be based on who was acting negligently, leading to the crash.
- Did someone fail to yield?
- Were you riding or driving without lights when required?
- Was someone intoxicated?
Get Help if You’ve Been in a Bike Accident
Bike accidents aren’t the most common accident type, but they do happen. Leading to injuries and emotional stress, injured cyclists, will often require expensive immediate medical care, and may need long-term care, too.
To help recover damages for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering if you’ve been in a bike accident, contact an attorney. The legal team at Cordisco & Saile LLC is ready to go to bat for you. Call us now at 215-642-2335 to set up your free case consultation today.
