Bicycle accident victims come in all ages. As bicycle riding has become more common, it is no longer just a child’s pastime — it is a method of commuting for thousands of Floridians and people throughout the United States. The number of riders age 45 and older is increasing nationwide and unfortunately, the number of older bicycle accident victims has increased as older riders take to the roads.
Any bicycle accident victim could sustain serious injuries or even death, especially as a bike does not provide any protection from the impact of a vehicle hitting the rider. A Naples bike accident lawyer represents those hurt in collisions, as well as family members of people killed in bike crashes. Attorneys work hard to help crash victims seek full and fair compensation for all losses by proving a driver was to blame for their accident.
Adults are Increasingly Getting Hurt in Bike Accidents
According to a comprehensive study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), there has been a significant increase in hospital admissions of older adults due to bicycle accidents. Researchers obtained information on adult bike crash victims by reviewing and analyzing a random sample of data from around 100 emergency departments nationwide. The data was obtained from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), which gathers and analyzes information on hospitalizations and injury causes.
The research revealed that between 1998 and 2013, the proportion of injuries in bike accidents occurring in people age 45 and older increased from 23 percent to 42 percent. This was an 81 percent increase in the percentage of bike crash victims age 45 and up. The proportion of patients age 45 and older actually admitted to the hospital due to their bicycle accident injuries increased from 39 percent to 65 percent, which is a 66 percent increase. Patients who were admitted tended to have much more serious injuries than patients who were treated and then released.
Researchers suggest that the “injury trends likely reflect the trends in overall bicycle ridership in the United States,” which has been trending older as commuting via bicycle becomes more common. Older adults who ride bicycles are more likely to ride on major streets or participate in sports cycling, which has driven an increase in bike collisions at high speeds and has driven an increase in street accidents.
Drivers need to be aware that there are more bicycle riders on the road and must make sure they are paying careful attention to avoid causing accidents and injuries. When a driver is careless in a manner that leads to a crash, the bike rider or family members of a cyclist killed in a crash may be compensated for medical costs, wage loss, pain and suffering, emotional stress, loss of companionship and other personal injury and wrongful death damages. Contact Attorney Ryan Kuhl for more information on how victims can make a claim after a bicycle crash occurs.