Getting around Los Angeles may mean having to drive a car. If you’re nervous about driving around the big city, there are many transportation choices such as riding a bike, taking public transportation, using a cab, ridesharing, or — if you want to challenge yourself — taking a walk. Each of those listed above has its own unique adventure or benefit: you may bike as part of your exercise or you may save gas by taking the LA Metro. Yet accidents happen. Here are some things to remember when you’re on the road by foot or by vehicle.
In 2013, U.S. stores sold around 13 million bicycles. You may have seen bicyclists ride the bus and train, which account 3% of all public transport trips (this evidence comes from the National House Travel Surveys). As the bicyclist population grows, some cities are making bike lanes. Signs such as “Share the Road” are a reminder for all to watch the road and to pay attention on who may be driving or riding. There are events such as CicLavia, that close down streets to help promote riding bicycles or walking in car-free streets.
You can minimize mistakes and accidents that can occur by avoiding phone conversations or texting while driving. Pay attention to where you’re turning at the corner, even if there is no pedestrian walking; sometimes there is a bicyclist that will pass by from your blindspot. If you’ve had a drink, it may be best to take a cab home, lest you get into an accident that will require the services of a drunk driving attorney.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has counted that over three million injuries and 40,000 deaths are the result of 5.5 million car accidents that happen in the U.S. every year. Some of these are bicycle accident injuries or car accidents involving pedestrians. Among bicycle-related deaths, adolescents 15 to 24 years old and adults 45 and older have been more likely to have gone through this. It’s estimated that nearly one pedestrian injury accident happens every seven minutes in the U.S. That’s about eight people every hour. Some accidents may be caused by being under the influence of alcohol, from cars, bicycles, and pedestrians. If this happens to you, hire a drunk driving attorney or personal injury lawyer.
However, don’t be frightened to step outside of your home. Increasing your awareness about these happenings is a step into safety driving and avoiding bicycling injuries. If any of this happens to you, including having a car accident with bike rides or causing pedestrian injury accident to someone, you can find more information online or find a car accident lawyer or personal injury attorney.
Being more mindful of others on the road helps decrease these occurrences. Do your research to: prevent car accidents involving pedestrians, avoid bicycling injuries, know the steps after a car accident, especially car accidents involving pedestrians or bicyclists, and the overall steps after a car accident. If you’ve already been cited for DUI, get a drunk driving attorney to help you.