Child Bicycle Accidents

Southern California is among the best places in the country for kids to grow up. With our perfect weather, plentiful beaches and parks, and many safe neighborhoods, there is no shortage of outdoor activities for kids to take part in. Riding bicycles has always been a favorite pastime for kids, and in Newport Beach it's a year-round option. Although kids may be thrilled about this, it also increases the likelihood of your child getting in a bike accident. When a child is struck by a vehicle, the impact can be devastating, resulting in severe injuries and expensive medical bills that may be difficult to pay for without help from a Newport Beach child bicycle accident lawyer. If your child is the victim of a bicycle accident, contact Jamal Injury Law P.C. for the compassionate and knowledgeable legal help you deserve.

Newport Beach is unfortunately a major site for serious bicycle accidents, many of which involve children. According to the Newport Beach Police Department, the city's most dangerous intersections are the traffic circle and triple intersection at Los Coyotes Diagonal/Clark/Stearns. While we hope that children are not riding their bikes near these busy intersections, it is always a possibility.

The Newport Beach Police Department also reports that in each year between 2006 and 2016, the city experienced at least 444 accidents that resulted in injury or death of cyclists or pedestrians. In 2012, a high mark of 627 of these accidents occurred. Between 2013 and 2016, there have been between seven and 14 cycling and pedestrian deaths in our city each year.

While there are not specific statistics on how many of those injured or killed were children, our team of child bicycle accident attorneys serving Newport Beach has seen first-hand just how vulnerable young people are in these kinds of accidents. In addition, in 2013 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that kids between five and 15 years old make up over 20 percent of bicycle fatalities. In addition, they reported that the highest-risk age group for bicycle accident deaths is adolescents from 15 to 19 years old.

With statistics like these, it is incredibly important that you have an experienced attorney on your side in case your child is injured in an accident. As a local law firm, Jamal Injury Law P.C. has long been committed to fighting for the rights of area citizens and ensuring that the party responsible for your child's accident is brought to justice.

The area organization Bike Newport Beach, whose goal is to create a bicycle-friendly city, has done substantial research on why bicycle accidents happen. Since 2002, they have gathered accident data for the area and have discovered that 35 percent of the bike accidents in Newport Beach involve drivers, but that around 45 percent of total accidents are caused by bicyclists. Our Newport Beach child bicycle accident lawyers have encountered many children who are victims of these accidents, and cannot stress enough the importance of teaching your child to be safe on their bicycle.

Bike Newport Beach's data has uncovered the top five causes of vehicle-bicycle accidents, which account for over 80 percent of bike accidents. Motorists running red lights or stop signs or turning in front of moving bicycles are major causes of accidents. In accidents where cyclists were responsible, bicyclists riding on the wrong side of road into oncoming traffic, unpredictably moving into traffic, and running stop lights or stop signs were most often the cause.

Since many of these accidents can be avoided with proper bike safety, the best thing you can do to keep your child safe is to teach them to be safe on their bikes. You can start by making your child wear a helmet. In addition, teach your kids to always ride their bikes on the sidewalk and to watch for vehicles that could be backing into our out of driveways. It's also a good idea to teach kids proper hand signals to use before turns and how to observe stop signs and use crosswalks. Making them wear bright, visible clothing will also make them safer. If possible, ride bikes with your kids until you are certain that they understand the important rules of the road.

If your child has been injured in a bicycle accident, get in touch with Jamal Injury Law P.C. Our dedicated team of child bicycle accident lawyers serving Newport Beach will provide you with a free consultation. Whether you simply want an understanding of your rights, have questions about the kinds of compensation you may be entitled to, or want to know whether you have a case, we can help.

Call us today at 714-907-1021.