As many of us in our office are cycling enthusiasts, we know the dangers that people who ride bicycles face on today’s roadways—especially in Upstate New York, where drivers, and cyclists themselves, can be lulled into a false sense of security with little traffic on the road only to be jarred from that comfort as a vehicle comes over the crest a hill, driving wildly and over the speed limit. Everyone knows that there are dangers inherent in riding bicycles, and cyclists need to take all steps possible to protect themselves from accidents.

However, sometimes, regardless of the actions that a cyclist takes and how careful and attentive the cyclist is, one can be struck by a vehicle. Frequently, this is due to the negligence of the driver of the automobile who may be eating, texting, playing with the radio, speaking to someone in the car or otherwise simply not paying attention to the roadway.

As a cyclist, typically only wearing a helmet and a thin layer of Lycra, one does not have much protection from a motor vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed. As much as cyclists do not want to face it, serious injuries are likely if they are impacted.

New York State requires everyone who owns a vehicle to carry motor vehicle liability insurance in an amount of not less than $25,000.00 in the event of an accident. However, while it is a positive that New York State requires automobile insurance, it is unfortunate that the limits are so low. An accident involving a cyclist is likely to leave the cyclist with significant injuries and pain and suffering which greatly exceed $25,000.00.

Thankfully, there is something that every cyclist can and should do to protect themselves—cyclists should purchase supplemental Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist (“SUM”) coverage. Available on your own automobile policy, this insurance permits you to make a claim against your own insurance company in the event you are injured by a driver insured by an insurance policy with liability coverage limits lower than the coverage limits on your own policy. It is extremely important insurance for cyclists to have to protect themselves in the event of catastrophic injury which is not of the cyclist’s own making. Typical limits for folks who seek SUM coverage are either $500,000.00 or $1,000,000.00. You may be surprised at how inexpensive this sort of coverage is, as well, to protect yourself in the event of the unthinkable occurring. We recommend to any cyclist that you speak to your insurance agent or representative to make sure that you have appropriate levels of coverage in place to protect you and your situation in the event of a collision with a vehicle.

If you know someone who has been injured in a bicycle accident by a vehicle, please do not hesitate to contact the attorneys at Flink Maswick Law PLLC. We have successfully handled bicycle accident cases previously and, with attorneys in the office who have experience riding bicycles, we know that dreaded feeling of a vehicle coming up from behind and buzzing you or even making contact.