Bicycle Accident

Phoenix Bicycle Accident Attorney

Arizona’s dry, hot weather provides a great climate for year-round bicycling. But the state, which is one of the deadliest in the nation for bikers, has a less than stellar bicycle safety climate.

Arizona consistently ranks among the top-ten states for bicycle traffic fatalities even though its popula-tion is relatively low. The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has a plan in place to make the Grand Canyon State more walking and bicycling-friendly, but for the victims of bike crashes the pro-posed changes—which include widening shoulders and more strictly enforcing bike safety laws—haven’t come soon enough.

Part of the problem is that motorists simply aren’t accustomed to seeing and responding to bicycle traffic in Arizona, and that should change as infrastructure improves and bicycling becomes more common. Ignorance is no excuse, however, and statistics show that motorists by and large are to blame for collisions between two and four-wheeled vehicles.

If you or someone you love was injured in a bicycle accident, it’s worth discussing the incident with an experienced personal injury attorney. Bike crashes tend to result in severe (and costly) injuries such as brain trauma, spinal cord injury, facial injury, broken bones and even death. A lawsuit can provide compensation for accident losses and put you on the path towards recovery.

Learn your legal rights through a free consultation with the Resendez Injury Law Group. Call us at (602) 824-9444 or drop us a line.

A Closer Look at Arizona Bicycle Accidents

Under Arizona state law, bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as motorists. All-too-often, however, drivers don’t honor bikers’ rights, and it is bicyclists who bear the brunt of bike-car impacts.

The following statistics, provided by ADOT, shed light on Arizona’s bike safety problem:

• Over a recent five-year period there were an average of 2,000 bike crasher per year in Arizona—about 2% of all Arizona crashes. These crashes led to an average of 23 bicyclists killed and 1,662 injured per year.
• Arizona’s bicycle fatality rate (per million people) is 19% higher than the national average.
• 1 in 10 Arizona bicycle crashes results in an incapacitating injury; 1 in 100 results in a fatality.
• The vast majority (84%) of bicycle-motor vehicle crashes occurred in locations with no bicycle facilities (i.e. shoulder or bike lane).
• 99% of crashes occurred in urban/developed areas.
• Motorist action was the primary contributing factor in 69% of vehicle-bicycle crashes.
• Motorist inattention was a contributing factor in 11% of vehicle-bicycle crashes.

Where Arizona Bike Accidents Occur

As part of its “Bicycle Safety Action Plan” ADOT determined “focus areas,” or accident hot spots, that are priority locations for improving bike safety. Here are a few of the intersections and road segments where Arizona bicycle accidents occur most frequently:

Intersections/Interchanges

• Tempe, at the intersection of Scottsdale Road and the SR 202 Ramp.
• Mesa, at the SR 87/SR 202 Ramp intersection.
• Phoenix, at three separate I-17 Frontage Road/Ramp intersections (with Northern Avenue, Bethany Home Road and Indian School Road.
• Chandler, at the Eliot Road/SR 101 Ramp/Frontage Road intersection as well as the SR 87/SR 202 Ramp intersection.
• A 3-mile stretch on SR 8B in Yuma with limits at 7th Street (to Catalina Drive).
• In Mesa/Gilbert on a 1-mile stretch of SR 87 with limits at Guadalupe Road (to Baseline Road).

Road Segments

• SR 40B in Flagstaff along a 1-mile stretch ending at SR 89A to Elden Street.
• Mesa, along the 1 mile stretch between SR 101 Frontage Road/Ramp and University Drive.
• Tucson, a 2.5 mile stretch along SR 77/Oracle Road ending at River Road (to Miracle Road).

Hurt in a Bicycle Crash? Speak with Rudy Resendez.

Rudy Resendez is a native son of the Southwest whose legal experience is matched by years of high-stakes contract negotiations. Rudy’s years in the business world have provided him with the skill set needed to take on insurance companies and better-serve his clients. Because more than 90% of personal injury cases never go to court, an attorney’s negotiation skills can mean the different between an inadequate settlement and a full, fair one.

Following a serious accident you need somebody who understands the law and is looking out for your best interests. The Resendez Injury Law Group is a small, personal firm that gets big results for clients through an emphasis on outstanding, personalized service.

To speak with an attorney call or contact us today.

From our Phoenix offices we serve clients in Peoria, Avondale, Goodyear, Buckeye, Surprise, Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler, Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek and all other areas of Arizona including Flagstaff, Yuma and Gila Bend.

For More information:

• Arizona Department of Transportation:
  • Motor Vehicle Crash Facts (2013)
  • ADOT bicycle safety action plan final report
  • Bicycle & Pedestrian Program
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Traffic Safety Facts—Bicyclists and Other Cyclists (2012)
• The Arizona Republic: Arizona bike-safety pan aimed at cutting fatalities
• Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety: Bike Safety
• azcentral.com: Phoenix mayor Stanton pushes bike-friendly spending; Bike accidents common in Phoenix