Tennessee Injury Law Center
In Nashville and all over Tennessee, more people are using bicycles as their preferred form of transportation. Unfortunately, more bikes on the roads translates to more biking accidents. So far this year, there have been 189 bicycle accidents in the State of Tennessee. Of those 189, 169 involved injury and 2 were fatal – the others were property damage only. Nashville is not the only city struggling with a rising number of bicycle accidents so numerous entities have been studying safer alternatives.
Rather than simply painting a white line down the road to cordon off vehicle traffic from the bike lane, many cities including San Francisco, Boston and New York are replacing traditional bike lanes with more protected lanes, which are sometimes referred to as cycletracks. Cycletracks use barriers such as curbs, fences, planters to physically separate bicyclists from motorists. New York was the trailblazer, so to speak, when it began implementing cycletracks in 2007, but other cities are now following suit. Chicago has recently committed to providing 50 miles of cycletracks in the city over the next nine years. As Nashville continues to grow, other forms of commuting and travel will become an even higher priority to help alleviate congested roadways.
In the meantime, here are some safety tips for drivers and bicyclists as we share the road:
- Bicyclists and drivers alike need to know their legal responsibilities. This link will take you to one of our bicycle accident pages where we outline Tennessee law for both drivers and bikers.
- Motorists should avoid distracted driving. If you are texting while driving, your reaction time is diminished, which could cost you precious seconds in reacting to a situation on the roadway.
- Maintain proper insurance on your vehicle including underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage. By doing so, you protect not only your own assets but you also can be assured anyone your injure receives the financial compensation they deserve.
- Slow down. Reaction time can mean the difference between a near miss and a tragedy.
- Do not operate a bicycle or a motor vehicle under the influence of any intoxicant. Use a designated driver, call a taxi or Uber, but do not drive while intoxicated.
At The Law Offices of John Day, P.C., our award-winning lawyers come to work every day with one purpose: to help accident victims and their families get the compensation they deserve. We handle all accident cases including bicycle accident cases on a contingency basis, which means we only get paid if we recover money for you. If you think you may have a case, simply give us a call. For no charge whatsoever, we will review your case, answer any questions you may have and explain your legal options. You can reach out to us via chat, by filling out this contact form or by simply calling us at 615-742-4880 (Nashville) or 615-867-9900 (Murfreesboro) or 866-812-8787 (toll-free from anywhere in the State of Tennessee or elsewhere).