Residents and visitors alike in Maine frequently use bicycles to get to and from destinations. Whether bikes are used for regular transportation or leisure, bicyclists can be exposed to possibly serious injuries when they are involved in accidents because of their inherent lack of protection.
While certain parts of Maine have paths specifically limited to bicycles, bicyclists often share roadways with motor vehicles. Both automobiles and bicycles must obey the rules of the road, and several crashes involving bicycles are the result of motorist negligence in which drivers fail to respect the rights of the bicyclists.
Maine Bicycle Laws
Rules of the road in Maine for bicycles, roller skis, toy vehicles, and scooters are established under Maine Revised Statute Title 29-A Section 2063. The statute provides rules relating to passing a school bus, a bicyclist’s duty to yield, and obedience to stop signs and other traffic-control devices.
As state law relates to motor vehicles, Maine Revised Statute Title 29-A Section 2070.1-A states that the operator of a motor vehicle passing a bicycle proceeding in the same direction must exercise due care by leaving a distance of not less than 3 feet between the motor vehicle and the bicycle while passing. A motor vehicle can only pass a bicycle traveling in the same direction when it is safe to do so.
Additionally, Maine Revised Statute Title 29-A Section 2068 provides multiple regulations relating to the practice of “dooring”—collisions in which bicyclists strike a car door opened unexpectedly by people exiting automobiles. Maine Revised Statute Title 29-A Section 2068.4 establishes that a person cannot open the door of a motor vehicle on the side of moving traffic unless opening the door is reasonably safe to do and can be done without interfering with the movement of traffic, and Maine Revised Statute Title 29-A Section 2068.5 states that a person cannot leave a door of a vehicle open on the side of moving traffic for a period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers.
Bicycle Accident Injuries in Maine
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says bicycle trips only account for 1 percent of all trips in the nation, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that bicyclists accounted for 2 percent of all traffic deaths and 2 percent of all crash-related injuries in 2014. The CDC reported there were nearly 467,000 bicycle-related injuries in 2015.
Bicyclists face an increased likelihood of sustaining fatal injuries in collisions with motor vehicles, but even those who survive crashes can still suffer severe injuries that result in overwhelming medical expenses, lost wages, and tremendous pain and suffering. Some of the most common injuries stemming from bicycle accidents include, but are not limited to:
- Broken Bones
- Herniated Discs
- Internal Organ Damage
- Road Rash
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
Contact a Maine Personal Injury Lawyer
People who are injured in bicycle crashes can often be extraordinarily confused about how to obtain compensation from negligent drivers. In some cases, drivers may have been uninsured or have policy limits insufficient to cover the full cost of care for victims. People in such cases are often able to file claims with their own insurance companies under uninsured motorist policies, although even an individual’s own insurer may attempt to lowball a potential settlement.
Need an Injury Attorney Maine can represent you in dealing with any insurance company— whether it is the negligent driver’s insurer or your own. Our lawyers offer free, no-obligation consultations to discuss the specifics of your case, and we are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to answer all of your questions.