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Do I have a case for my bicycle accident injury?

Free Case Evaluation - Our full time staff is ready to evaluate your case submission and will respond in a timely manner.

Newport Beach- One of the Worst Cities in State for Bike Accidents

Newport Beach bicycle accident lawyer comments on the importance of making infrastructural changes and moving away from a "cars-only" mentality in order to prevent bike accidents in our communities. Newport Beach ranked among the most unsafe cities for bicyclists in California, according to study done by the California Office of Traffic Safety.

Newport beach one of the worst cities for bike accident

Last month, the city of Newport Beach mourned the deaths of two bicyclists who were killed within two days. According to a Sept. 21 article in the Daily Pilot, these fatal bike accidents have renewed the debate about cycling safety in Newport Beach. The article cites a study by the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) in 2010, which shows that Newport Beach ranks third highest in the number of traffic accidents involving cyclists who were injured or killed compared with 103 cities of similar size. The Pilot reports that the city also ranked third highest in accidents involving people who are 15 years old or younger.

The news was no better for Orange County, which ranked 14th highest for bicycle accident fatalities and injuries on a list of 58 counties statewide. In California as a whole, cycling-related fatalities dropped nearly 30 percent from 2006 to 2010, the report states. But the trend is slowly inching back up with injuries and fatalities increasing in 2011 and 2012.

According to the city of Newport Beach's website and police reports cited in the Pilot, hot-spot intersections for bicycle accidents in Newport Beach include Newport Boulevard and Via Lido, Newport Boulevard and 32nd Street and Riverside Avenue and Avon Street. Crashes involving dooring, where a motorist opens a car door into the path of the oncoming bicyclist, can also cause serious injuries or fatalities.

John Bisnar, founder of Bisnar Chase agrees with bicycle safety advocates that cities can make their roadways safer for cyclists by encouraging more people to ride bikes. "As an avid rider myself, I cannot think of a better way to get healthy and conserve the environment than to ride a bike, because it is a viable transportation alternative. I'm encouraged to see Newport Beach and other Southern California cities doing more to create bike-friendly roadways with bike lanes."

California cities would be well-served to follow the example of bike-friendly states such as Oregon where low-speed traffic routes have given bicyclists a safer alternative to busier, more crowded roadways, Bisnar says. "I understand that all cities these days have severe budgetary constraints. But there are ways to apply for funding and partner with neighboring cities to make our communities safer for cyclists."

About Bisnar Chase

The Newport Beach bicycle accident attorneys at Bisnar Chase represent people who have been very seriously injured or lost a family member due to an accident or a defective product. The law firm has obtained nearly two hundred million dollars in settlements and verdicts for their clients by winning a wide variety of challenging personal injury cases. Additionally, the law firm represents people who have been seriously injured or lost a family member due to drunk driving and hit-and-run collisions.

For more information, call 949-203-3814 for a free consultation.

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