With the substantial spike in gas prices across the nation, more and more individuals are choosing to go green and ditch the pump. New York City alone has seen a 14% increase in commuter bike riders since 2010 and many towns and cities throughout the nation have implemented bike lanes for those who chose to leave the car at home. NYC has seen an overall increase of 62% in the number of cyclists since the spring of 2008, and this number is expected to continue rising.

Communities across the country are working to establish bike lanes and more public bike trails, but riding a bike still carries a fair amount of risk. Even though motorists have become accustomed to seeing cyclists on the road, very few motorists give them the respect or space they need. Bicyclists are the most susceptible to injury when they are riding in the bike lane, especially as they cross through intersections. Intersections make up a small percentage of a cyclist's travel route, but they are the prime location for a collision with an automobile to occur.

Driving distracted and failing to stop behind the line at an intersection are some of the most common ways that cyclists are injured by the actions of motorists. As a result, 45% of bicycle accidents that involve collision with a car occur at an intersection. It is important for motorists to realize that they are sharing the road with cyclists and to be especially cautious of the hazards that are present at intersections. Motorists must be on the lookout for cyclists at all times!

Some of the most common mistakes that motorists make involve underestimating the speed of a bike and failing to notice cyclists altogether. Cyclists have a tendency to blend in to their surroundings and therefore must take extra precautions to avoid putting themselves at risk for accidents at intersections. Cyclists can increase their visibility by using reflectors on their bike, wearing headlights at night, and by wearing brightly colored reflective clothing. Additionally, cyclists should always practice defense driving methods and learn how to execute emergency maneuvers.

The majority of intersection collisions occur when the motorist has the right-of-way and a cyclist rides out into the intersection in front of the motorists. These accidents represent more than 8% of all intersection accidents and the cyclist is typically to blame for these accidents. Crossing between sidewalks is also a fairly dangerous maneuver and riding on the sidewalks is actually illegal altogether in some places. In order to determine who is at fault for a bicycle accident or collision, one must be familiar with the state laws regarding liability. For the majority of collisions that occur at intersections, liability will be determined by who had the right-of-way.

It can be complicated and confusing to determine liability in a bicycle accident, but this is an important part of recovering compensation and is necessary for filing an accident claim. The cyclist almost always suffers the worst injuries because of the lack of protection that a bicycle provides, and in many cases it is necessary to file a claim because of the extensive medical damages suffered. It is the responsibility of every cyclist to maximize individual visibility, to understand the rules of the road and to practice safety precautions at all times. Cyclists must also be aware that motorists have difficulty identifying cyclists in their blind spots, and should take precaution to never stop in a car's blind spot. When both cyclists and motorists are driving attentively and practicing common-sense safety measures, the majority of these collisions can be avoided.