If you hit a person on bike, it might not be your fault. A recent study shows that in San Diego alone, over half of the accidents involving bicyclists and motorists, end up being the cyclist’s fault.
Accident reports reveal that oftentimes the crash happens as a result of cyclists ignoring who has the right of way. Instead of stopping at red lights or stop signs, some cyclists ignore the rules of the road and fly through the intersection.
Whether or not you cause the accident, you must know exactly what steps to take. Medical bills, damages, legal costs, and more, can all arise from even the simplest of crashes.
Minimizing an accident, or falsely accepting blame, could turn a bad situation into an endless legal nightmare.
Don’t wait for the worst-case scenario to happen to find out what you need to do. Read on to learn everything you need to do if you hit a bicyclist in your car.
Call Police First If You Hit a Person on Bike
If you’re driving a vehicle that hits a cyclist, you must wait for the police to arrive. Don’t try to negotiate any type of deal with the bicyclist, even if it seems like the accident was a minor one.
You should also keep in mind that while you might think the accident’s your fault, it’s possible the bicyclist was the one to cause the crash.
After you hit a person on bike, call the police, and wait for them to arrive. When the police get to the accident scene, the first thing they’re going to do is get all of the facts to create their police report.
Stop Saying Sorry
It’s natural to want to comfort the bicyclist by telling them you’re sorry this happened or empathizing with them about how they must feel.
Unfortunately, however, in today’s world, trying to comfort someone with a simple sorry, can be an admission of guilt.
Even if you’re certain the accident was your fault, the truth is you don’t know all the facts yet. Don’t say sorry to the bicyclists, and never say it’s your fault. Instead, let the police do their job of collecting the information from both you and the bicyclist involved.
When you’re talking to the police, keep your emotions at bay and just give them the facts. Give them facts like, where were you going, how fast were you driving, and…
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