As the weather in Arizona starts to cool down and more residents choose to walk and bike around the Valley, the Scottsdale traffic attorneys at Corso Law Group remind drivers and cyclists to share the road this season.
The Phoenix Street Transportation Department recently installed a series of new signs near bike lanes and busy biking areas warning of wrong way cycling in an effort to reduce crashes.
Approximately 450 bike and automobile accidents occur every year in Phoenix, and 34 percent of this type of collision involves a biker riding against traffic.
Arizona law states that while bicycles are not considered vehicles, a person riding a bike has the same rights and responsibilities as a person driving a car, which means they are legally expected to ride with traffic in the farthest right lane and follow traffic rules including:
- Stopping for traffic lights and stop signs
- Yielding to pedestrians on crosswalks and sidewalks
- Signaling lane changes and turns
- Using a white headlight and red rear reflector at night
There are also laws enforced by the state in place specifically for cyclists such as:
- Every person riding a bike must have a seat
- Every bike must have at least one brake
- No more than two people may bike side by side on the road
- One had must be on the handlebars at all times
- Do not attach a bike to another bike or vehicle on the road
When an accident does occur between a person on a bike and a driver, who is at fault? The answer depends on negligence. If either the biker or the driver fails to exercise a reasonable standard of care at the time of the incident, like stopping at a red light or going the speed limit, he or she may be considered negligent and face charges.
Whether you’re a cyclist or a driver, if you’re ever involved in this type of accident in Arizona, contact the traffic attorneys at the Scottsdale office of Corso Law Group for help.
