Driveways are a dangerous location for people on bicycles. Any place where multiple lanes of traffic intersect is a source of risk. Typically, drivers approaching the end of their driveway will check their surroundings carefully before pulling out into traffic. They don’t want to get into a crash with another vehicle. Unfortunately, they may not look as carefully for cyclists as they do for other vehicles.
In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in frontover collisions, which can easily occur at the end of a driveway. Frontover collisions often involve pedestrians but can also be a source of concern for cyclists as well.
What is a frontover collision?
A frontover collision is a crash that occurs at low speeds when a driver proceeds directly forward into another party. Many frontover collisions occur in parking lots and involve pedestrians, but they can also occur at driveways when there are cyclists present. A driver may fail to spot a cyclist or may not mentally register their presence despite monitoring their surroundings. Factors including the increased height of many modern vehicles and smaller windshield sizes contribute to these crashes. When the crash involves a cyclist, not a pedestrian, it is less likely that a blind spot is entirely to blame. A failure to look or mentally recognize the cyclist could be the cause.
What are the risks in a frontover collision?
Given that they often occur at lower speeds, frontover collisions are less likely than crashes in traffic to cause severe injury or death to a cyclist. Still, a cyclist could very easily end up hurt when a driver fails to notice them. A driver could knock a cyclist over, leading to broken bones or even brain injuries. Additionally, the force of the crash could throw the cyclist into traffic, which could lead to a secondary crash with another vehicle.
As with any other kind of crash, the driver’s insurance may help cover someone’s costs. The cyclist could potentially also have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit against the driver who failed to properly monitor their surroundings.
Cyclists who recognize that the point where a driveway enters the street is a high-risk location may have an easier time spotting safety threats in traffic. Learning about modern crash trends can protect cyclists and help them hold the right party accountable if a crash does occur.
