What Are the Top Causes of Bicycle Accidents?

What Are the Top Causes of Bicycle Accidents?

Bicyclist deaths have risen 87% in recent years, setting a grim record that paints a grim picture for bicycle safety in most U.S. cities. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 1,166 cyclists were killed and nearly 50,000 others injured in U.S. traffic crashes in one recent year 

That number represents more than just data points. Behind every fatality is a person who left home expecting to return but never did. Thousands of other bicycle crash survivors suffered broken bones, head trauma, spinal damage, and other life-changing injuries. 

NHTSA data on bicycle accident causes shows that driver negligence is to blame in the majority of crashes. When a motorist’s negligence leaves you dealing with serious injuries, chronic pain, medical bills, lost income, and a painful recovery, a bicycle accident lawyer may help you pursue fair compensation.

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Motor Vehicle Drivers Failing to Yield

Failure to yield the right of way ranks as the leading cause of fatal cyclist crashes. NHTSA data confirms that drivers who ignore cyclists' right to be on the road create conditions for devastating collisions. This problem intensifies at intersections, where turning vehicles and through-traveling cyclists share space.

Missouri law treats bicycles as vehicles entitled to use public roadways. Missouri’s bicycle laws give cyclists the same rights as motorists when traveling on streets. Similarly, 625 ILCS 5/11-1502 in Illinois grants cyclists full roadway rights and requires motorists to yield accordingly.

Several factors contribute to drivers' failure to yield to cyclists:

• Inattentional blindness causes drivers to look directly at cyclists yet fail to register their presence because their brains filter out unexpected road users.
• Misjudging cyclist speed leads drivers to believe they have more time to complete turns or maneuvers than they actually do. 
• Some drivers ignore bike lanes and behave like those lanes are just part of the regular road, not special spaces for cyclists.
• Impatience at intersections pushes drivers to rush through turns without scanning for cyclists.

These failures to yield often result in catastrophic injuries. Cyclists struck by vehicles traveling even at moderate speeds face broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, spinal damage, and internal organ trauma.

Right Hook Collisions

A "right hook" occurs when a motor vehicle traveling in the same direction as a cyclist makes a right turn directly into the cyclist's path. The cyclist, typically riding in a bike lane or along the right edge of the road, has nowhere to go. These accidents happen in seconds.

How Right Hooks Happen:

The driver moves past the cyclist, then turns right without checking mirrors or blind spots. Sometimes the driver signals; often they don't. The cyclist, expecting to continue straight, collides with the turning vehicle or gets struck by its side.

Right hook accidents frequently cause severe injuries because the cyclist may be thrown from the bike, dragged, or pinned beneath the vehicle. Injuries commonly include fractures, road rash, head trauma, and spinal cord damage.

Missouri's overtaking and passing statute requires motorists to leave a safe distance when passing cyclists. After passing, a driver who turns right without ensuring the cyclist has cleared the area may be liable for resulting injuries.

Left Cross Accidents

Left cross collisions happen when a motorist making a left turn fails to yield to an oncoming cyclist traveling straight through an intersection. The driver sees approaching cars but mentally "edits out" the cyclist.

About 83% of cyclist fatalities occur in urban areas where intersection encounters are frequent. Left cross accidents spike in locations with heavy traffic and complex signal patterns.

Contributing Factors:

Drivers making left turns often watch for larger vehicles and gaps in car traffic. A bicycle's smaller profile makes it easier to overlook. Add sunset glare, dirty windshields, or a simple distraction, and the risk multiplies.

The outcome for cyclists in left cross accidents tends to be severe. A vehicle striking a cyclist from the side provides the rider no protection. Impact speeds don't need to be high to cause life-altering injuries.

Dooring Accidents

Dooring happens when someone inside a parked vehicle opens a door into the path of an approaching cyclist. The cyclist has two bad options: slam into the door or swerve into moving traffic. Neither ends well.

Urban cycling routes that run alongside parked cars create prime conditions for dooring. Cyclists riding at normal speeds may have less than a second to react when a door swings open.

The "door zone" extends roughly three to four feet from parked vehicles. Cyclists riding within this space are at constant risk of being doored. Yet bike lanes in many cities run directly through this danger zone, creating a design conflict that puts cyclists at risk.

Common dooring injuries include:

• Facial fractures and dental damage from striking the door edge
• Shoulder separations and collarbone breaks from impact
• Traumatic brain injuries, even with helmet use
• Spinal cord injuries resulting from severe impacts
• Secondary injuries from falling into traffic after the initial collision

Both drivers and passengers bear responsibility for checking before opening doors. A person who opens a car door without looking may be liable for injuries caused to a cyclist.

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving contributed to 3,308 traffic fatalities in a recent year and thousands more injuries. Cyclists remain particularly vulnerable to inattentive motorists. A driver checking a text message travels the length of a football field at highway speeds in five seconds. That's plenty of distance to strike a cyclist they never saw.

Smartphone use gets the most attention, but distraction takes many forms. Adjusting GPS, eating, reaching for items, or simply daydreaming all pull attention from the road. Cyclists pay the price when drivers' eyes and minds wander.

When a car collides with a bicycle, the cyclist is the one who pays the consequences. Unlike occupants of motor vehicles, cyclists have no airbags, crumple zones, or steel frames protecting them. When a distracted driver strikes a cyclist, the cyclist absorbs nearly all the impact energy. This disparity explains why bicycle accidents frequently result in serious injuries even at relatively low speeds.

Missouri and Illinois both prohibit texting while driving for most motorists. Missouri Revised Statute 304.820 restricts texting for drivers under 21 and all commercial vehicle operators. Illinois bans handheld phone use entirely under 625 ILCS 5/12-610.2. Violations of these laws may serve as evidence of negligence in bicycle accident claims.

Speeding and Aggressive Driving

Speed kills, and cyclists face the worst outcomes when vehicles travel too fast. A pedestrian or cyclist struck at 40 mph has an 85% chance of death, compared to 10% at 20 mph. These physics don't change based on who had the right of way.

Aggressive drivers who tailgate cyclists, honk aggressively, or pass too closely create terrifying conditions. Missouri law requires motorists to maintain safe clearance when overtaking bicycles. Illinois similarly mandates at least three feet of passing distance under 625 ILCS 5/11-703.

Speeding reduces a driver's ability to stop in time and narrows their field of vision. Cyclists become even harder to spot when drivers exceed posted speed limits. The combination of reduced reaction time and tunnel vision makes high-speed corridors particularly dangerous for people on bikes.

Unsafe Passing

Many bicycle accidents happen when motorists attempt to squeeze past cyclists without leaving adequate space. A vehicle passing inches away from a cyclist's handlebars creates a wind draft that can destabilize the rider. Direct contact isn't necessary to cause a crash.

Missouri's safe passing statute under RSMO 300.411 requires drivers to leave a safe distance when overtaking bicycles and maintain that clearance until safely past. Drivers who clip cyclists or force them off the road may face both traffic citations and civil liability for resulting injuries.

Poor Visibility and Nighttime Riding

Over half of fatal bicycle crashes occur during dawn, dusk, or nighttime hours. Reduced visibility creates hazards for everyone, but cyclists face disproportionate risk because their smaller profiles are harder to detect in low light.

Both Missouri and Illinois require bicycles operated at night to have front white lights and rear red reflectors. However, even fully lit cyclists remain vulnerable to drivers who aren't watching for them. Headlight glare, rain, fog, and poorly lit streets compound the danger.

Cyclists riding without lights or reflective gear do increase their own risk. Under Missouri's pure comparative negligence system, a cyclist's failure to use proper lighting may reduce their damage award by their percentage of fault. Illinois' modified comparative negligence rule bars recovery entirely if the cyclist is more than 50% responsible.

Seasonal and Weather Factors

Bicycle fatalities peak between July and October, when longer daylight hours encourage more riding, but evening commutes still occur after sunset. Weather conditions add another variable. Wet roads increase stopping distances for both vehicles and bikes. Fog reduces visibility for everyone. Wind gusts can unexpectedly push cyclists into traffic lanes.

Drivers bear the responsibility to adjust their behavior to environmental conditions. Traveling at the speed limit during a rainstorm may still constitute negligence if conditions warranted slower travel. Similarly, a driver who fails to see a cyclist due to fog or glare isn't automatically excused from liability.

Impaired Driving

Alcohol and drug impairment remain persistent factors in bicycle accidents. Impaired drivers have slower reaction times, reduced judgment, and difficulty tracking moving objects. Cyclists, already vulnerable, become sitting targets when sharing roads with intoxicated motorists.

Missouri and Illinois both impose serious penalties for drunk driving, yet impaired motorists continue causing preventable crashes. When an impaired driver strikes a cyclist, the driver's intoxication typically establishes negligence and may support claims for punitive damages beyond standard compensation.

Notably, cyclist impairment also contributes to some accidents. NHTSA data indicate that roughly 20% of cyclists killed in crashes had blood alcohol levels at or above the legal limit. While Missouri lacks a public intoxication law that applies to cycling, an impaired cyclist's own negligence may reduce their recovery under comparative fault principles.

Dangerous Road Conditions

Not every bicycle accident involves a negligent driver. Potholes, cracked pavement, debris, drainage grates, and poorly maintained shoulders cause cyclists to lose control and crash. When government entities or private property owners fail to maintain safe conditions, they may bear responsibility for resulting injuries.

Missouri cities and towns have duties to maintain roadways in a reasonably safe condition. Cyclists injured by hazardous road defects may have claims against the responsible government entity, though sovereign immunity rules create additional procedural requirements. Illinois follows similar principles under its Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act.

Common road hazards that cause bicycle crashes include:

• Potholes and pavement cracks that catch the front wheels and throw riders
• Metal drainage grates with slots parallel to the direction of travel
• Gravel, sand, or debris accumulated in bike lanes
• Uneven pavement edges where road surfaces meet shoulders
• Construction zones lacking adequate warnings or detours for cyclists

Documenting road conditions immediately after an accident helps preserve evidence for potential claims. Photographs showing the hazard, measurements of defects, and records of prior complaints about the location all strengthen these cases.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Leading Cause of Bike Accidents

Take Control of Your Recovery

Insurance companies move fast after bicycle accidents, and their goal is to pay you as little as possible. You don't have to accept their first offer or face them alone. At The Bruning Law Firm, we fight for injured cyclists throughout Missouri and Illinois, with offices in St. Louis, Creve Coeur, and Kansas City. 

Our goal is to secure maximum compensation for everything you’ve suffered and lost and your 100% satisfaction with the process. 

Call (314) 735-8100 or contact us online for a free consultation and take the first step toward fair compensation.

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