According to Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, in 2012, 726 lost their lives in bicycle/motor vehicle crashes nationally, just under two people every day of the year in the U.S. The death rate from bicycle crashes is high due to the relative lack of protection bicyclists have in an impact with a motor vehicle.

Despite safety improvements, bicycle accidents are common in Providence and New Bedford

Traffic-safety laws are designed to allow bicyclists to share the road safely with motor vehicles in an increasingly crowded space.

According to the State of Rhode Island Department of Motor Vehicles:

Bicyclists:

• Are entitled to share the road with motor vehicles.
• Have the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicle and motorcycle drivers.
• Must obey all traffic signals and stop signs.
• Are lawfully permitted to ride on certain sections of roadway in rural areas where there is no alternate route.
• Must ride in the same direction as other traffic, not against it.

Get information on bicycle crashes from the region's police departments

The Providence Police Department and the New Bedford Police Department offer information on accidents.

The Providence County Sheriff's Department and the Bristol County Sheriff's Department are also useful resources for information.

These departments are good resources after a bike crash that occurs in either jurisdiction.

Providence and New Bedford bicycle crashes have common causes and deadly outcomes

While helmets and proper reflective gear make bicycling safer, riding a bicycle is riskier than driving a car. Maintaining control is more difficult on two wheels, and when collisions happen, bicyclists are at greater risk of serious injury or death because they don't have an enclosed vehicle for protection.

Common causes of bicycle crashes include:

• Motorist turning across path of cyclist;
• Cyclist riding into the path of a motor vehicle;
• Cyclist turning right from a major road and from a minor road;
• Child cyclist playing or riding too fast.

When someone is injured in a Providence or New Bedford bicycle accident, what needs to happen next?

In an injury bike crash, it is crucial to get appropriate medical treatment, regardless of the financial cost. The major hospitals in the area include:

• Rhode Island Hospital;
• The Miriam Hospital;
• St. Luke's Hospital.

As soon as possible, an injured person should contact their insurance company to find out how medical treatment is covered under their insurance policy. Since insurance policies often have unique provisions to deal with bicycle-accident injuries, it is important to review the policy and speak with the insurance adjuster to get clarification on coverage.

When an accident is serious or fatal, get help from a Providence - New Bedford bike accident attorney

When a bicycle accident, caused by the negligence of a motorist, results in serious injury or death, the next step is to find an experienced Providence - New Bedford bicycle accident attorney to start the financial recovery process by launching an insurance claim. Major injury or wrongful death claims are complicated and can be hard to manage without legal help. Having a personal injury lawyer on board is a great relief to injured bicyclists, or to the family left behind when an accident proves fatal.

Since personal injury lawyers offer a free initial consultation and work on a contingency basis, meaning that there are no up-front costs and all fees are paid when the claim is settled, there is no downside to speaking with a Providence - New Bedford personal injury lawyer right away, to get help for an injured bicyclist.