What To Do After A Bicycle Accident: 8 Crucial Steps

What You Should Do Next After a Bicycle Crash

You are likely considering your next move immediately after being injured in a bicycle accident. Your health is paramount, and you may need time off work depending on your injury. Plus, you will have medical bills, travel costs, physiotherapy, and rehab expenses, all of which can add up.

As a regular cyclist, you’ll know that riding on the road and moving through traffic can be dangerous. Even if you practice safe cycling, a bicycle crash can still happen because you can’t control the behaviour of other cyclists, negligent motorists and unpredictable motor vehicles.

Please read our step-by-step guide on what to do next following a bike accident. This blog includes information about medical and legal issues that arise if you decide to make a cycling accident claim.

But first, let’s review the number of people in Australia who suffer personal injuries from bike crashes each year.

Eight Steps to Follow After a Cycling Accident

1. Stay calm and move to a safe spot

The first step if you’ve been in a cycling accident is to stay safe and avoid further danger by moving to a safe location. Get yourself and your bike off the road immediately and into a secure space. It’s also beneficial to ask someone for help, particularly when injured. If, however, you’ve suffered a bad concussion, broken bones, a neck or head injury, spine or back injury and lost feeling in a part of your body, it’s best not to move and wait for medical assistance or the arrival of first responders.

2. Contact someone for help

The second step after a bike accident is to get in touch with someone for help. Even if you and your bike seem alright, call your family or a mate to let them know what happened. You could be suffering from shock or concussion, and the adrenaline rush might mean you don’t feel pain, which can make everything seem okay. Please know that some harm, like soft tissue damage, whiplash injuries and emotional distress, takes time to become evident.

So take precautions and have a clear-headed person assist you. Making sound decisions after an accident, such as whether to get back on your bike to ride home, is essential.

3. Call first responders, like police officers and an ambulance

The third recommended step after a bicycle collision is to call 000 to have emergency services like an ambulance and police attend the accident scene. There are two main reasons for taking this action:

A}  A police report helps establish who is to blame for your incident. Knowing who is at fault is essential when making a personal injury claim for negligent driving. If the incident involves an impact with a car, serious injuries, a hit-and-run, traffic obstruction, or a vehicle that needs to be towed, it’s best to request police support.

B}  If you’re injured or feel shaken up, call an ambulance so that someone qualified can give you the medical attention you need. First responders will confirm if you have minor injuries or significant damage like bone fractures or internal bleeding. If you are admitted to the hospital, scans and X-rays will determine the extent of your damage.

How to determine who is at fault in a road accident

4. Exchange contact details and insurance information

Once you are in a safe place and have called for help, the fourth step following a bicycle accident is to get the contact details of other parties to the traffic crash. This information includes their name, address, motor vehicle registration, insurance details, and phone numbers for everyone involved.

Additionally, get witness details from other riders and people who saw the accident. These documents help verify what happened, particularly when the other party disputes fault.

5. Collect Evidence

Successful insurance claims rely on comprehensive evidence that proves who was the at-fault driver, particularly when you have been hit by a car. We recommend you take photos and videos of:
• The accident scene
• The Number plate of all vehicles involved

You should also make note of the:
The time, date and exact location
Weather conditions
Police badge number (if they attend)
The contact info for witnesses

6. Seek medical attention

It may seem obvious, but the next recommended step is to seek medical attention to start the healing process. Initially, you may feel disoriented with no visible injuries. You should visit your local doctor or hospital for medical attention even if you have no symptoms, and especially for serious injuries.

Also, some injuries aren’t immediately obvious, and symptoms may not appear for hours or days after an accident. Symptoms from whiplash or brain injury often do not occur immediately, so consult a doctor if you start to experience neck pain, headaches, nausea, dizziness, numbness, or anything else unusual.

Other than concussion symptoms, people who survive a bicycle crash also experience psychological reactions like emotional trauma, PTSD, depression, or anxiety. In this circumstance, you should consult a mental health professional who will document your psychological disorder and assist with recovery.

7. Check that your bike is safe to ride

The sixth step after a bike collision or fall is to ensure your cycle is roadworthy before you get back on the road. We recommend you inspect the following:

• Examine your wheels and tyres for damage, and confirm that both wheels are spinning correctly.
• The quick-release skewers haven’t been loosened.
• Check your rear derailleur to make sure it isn’t damaged or bent.
• Test the changing of your gears and ensure that the front and rear wheel brakes still function.
• Inspect the frame, forks, and handlebars to ensure no cracks or bends compromise the structural integrity of your bike.

Ideally, have a professional bike mechanic at a reputable bike shop do a thorough inspection.

8. Compulsory third-party insurance claim

If you’re ever involved in a bike accident, you might get injured and have to pay medical bills. The reality is that cyclists are more vunerable and you may not leave a cycling accident unscathed. In that situation, bicycle injury lawyers can provide advice regarding your rights.

In Queensland, cyclists impacted by negligent driving may be eligible to seek damages from a third-party insurer and receive compensation for their injuries. The CTP insurer of the negligent party is liable to fund a lump-sum payout for an approved personal injury claim. In that case, you could receive funds for lost wages, medical costs, travel expenses, and pain and suffering.

If you cannot identify the other vehicle, e.g., in a hit-and-run accident, the police could locate the driver using CCTV footage. Generally, you can still receive injury compensation even if the other vehicle is unknown or uninsured. Your litigation claim is against the nominal defendant in this situation. This type of case has a strict and shorter time limit.

In some cases you could also receive compensation for property damage through the CTP insurer.

More about road accident claim time limits

Top Tips for Getting Back on the Bike After an Accident

Once you have taken the time to recover mentally and physically from your bicycle accident, you will consider getting back on the road. Before getting back in the saddle, here is some great advice to avoid another incident and ensure your safety:

1. Be sure to wear protective apparel like padded clothing and a helmet to avoid gnarly road rash
2. Greater visibility helps avoid collisions, so wear Fluoro and bright biking gear
3. Don’t ride when tired because it can slow your reaction time
4. Have brilliant lights fitted on your bike, front and back
5. Carry basic first aid supplies

Following these three simple tips can help you avoid future traffic accidents.

Bike Accident Lawyers Near You

Splatt Lawyers has bicycle accident lawyers based in locations throughout Queensland.

Brisbane	Gold Coast	Logan	Caboolture	Sunshine Coast
Bundaberg	Ipswich	Cairns	Townsville	Toowoomba