Students and Bicycle Crashes
Students in Shreveport frequently ride buses to school or drive themselves, whether they are in high school or attending a local college or university. While students certainly can be injured in bus collisions and automobile crashes, they can also be seriously injured in bicycle collisions with automobiles and other types of bicycle wrecks. In fact, many college and university students at LSU Shreveport and Centenary College of Louisiana ride bicycles for transportation and pleasure, and bike crashes can be somewhat common. What should you know about students and bicycle injuries? And what can you do about seeking compensation in the aftermath of a bicycle crash? Our Shreveport bicycle injury lawyers are here to help and provide you with more information.
Campuses and Bicycle Collisions in Built Environments
College and university campuses, and even some extensive high school campuses, are built in such a way to create bounded communities where students often feel safe on bicycles and on foot — even when they must navigate various forms of traffic and complicated biking or walking areas on their way to or from campus. Yet, according to a study reported by SafeTREC, these “built environments” often offer a false sense of safety that can, at times, result in preventable bicycle and pedestrian injuries that would have been avoided elsewhere.
In such built environments, the study showed that the following behavioral factors and environmental factors were among the most common causal factors for bicycle and pedestrian injuries on campuses:
- Motorist inattention, and distracted driving specifically, as well as inattention while walking or biking;
- Speeding (among motorists in areas with cyclists);
- Motorists attempting to avoid another vehicle, pedestrian, or bicyclist and crashing into another;
- Failure of motorists to yield right-of-way to pedestrians and cyclists;
- Narrow bike lanes;
- Obstructed bike lanes;
- Lack of bike lanes;
- Cracked and uneven roads or sidewalks; and
- Lack of sidewalks.
Even when crashes occur, bicyclists may be able to avoid severe and life-threatening injuries by wearing a DOT-approved helmet.
Most Bicycle Injury Claims Must Be Filed Within One Year
If another party is liable for injuries in a bike collision or injury on a school campus, it is important to work with an attorney to determine liability. If another party’s negligence or reckless driving caused the injury, it may be possible to file a claim against that party in order to seek compensation. In general, bicycle crash claims usually must be filed within one year from the date of the injury. After that time, the claim will become time-barred under Louisiana law.
Contact a Shreveport Bicycle Crash Attorney Today
Do you have questions or concerns about bicycle injuries on campuses, and filing a claim after a student injury? An experienced Shreveport bicycle injury lawyer at Rice & Kendig can speak with you today to find out more about the bicycle crash in which you (or a family member) suffered serious injuries. Based on the details of your case, we can help you to determine likely liability and to assist you with the claims process. Contact us today for more information.
Sources:
safetrec.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/publications/crashes_on_and_near_college_campuses_a_comparative_analysis_of_pedestrian_and_bicyclist_safety.pdf
legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?p=y&d=83443
