In general, children love bicycles. People ages 20 years and younger comprise over half of all bicycle riders in the United States. Parents begin looking for plastic big wheels and small-framed tricycles for their children when the kids are as young as age 2. As the youngsters grow, they develop the balance, coordination, and understanding necessary to safely ride a two-wheeled bicycle.
Even though children have the physical skills necessary to balance and maneuver on a bike, they still may not have the reaction time or judgment capabilities to anticipate, avoid, or recover from unexpected dangers.
Appalling Statistics
Bicycles are the leading consumer product cause of child injuries, with the exception of automobiles. They cause more child injuries than any other sport or recreational activity.
The number of children who suffer bicycle-related injuries is alarmingly high. Every year, around 10,700 children in the United States are checked into hospitals for treatment of bike injuries. These visits, on average, require three day of hospitalization before the children are released.
The Dangers of Drivers
It is extremely important for drivers, when traveling through residential areas, to adhere to the posted speed limit and to be on the lookout for children playing in and around the street. Many times, children are not familiar with expected bicycle conduct or how dangerous motor vehicles may be. They are prone to swerving into the road unexpectedly without thinking about the consequences. Kids are also more likely to lose control of their bikes and fall into the road.
As a driver, it is your responsibility to exercise extra caution when driving around areas where children may be present. If you fail to do so and injure a child as a result, you will face serious legal consequences.
Contact Us
If your child has suffered a bicycle-related injury because of another party’s negligence, then you may have the right to claim compensation. Contact nationally-recognized child injury lawyer Jeffrey Killino today at 877-875-2927 to get the experienced and compassionate representation that you deserve.
