Bountiful Utah: The Most Dangerous City for Utah Pedestrians in 2009

The number of Utah auto-pedestrian crashes doubled in Bountiful City. According to a KSL report, there were 11 car verses pedestrian accidents in 2008 compared to the 22 crashes in 2009. Bountiful Police Department state that driving distractions is what caused the spike in Utah pedestrian accidents. Community members have complained for some time that vehicles do not come to a complete stop at crosswalks endangering the lives of pedestrians and bicyclists. A number of the Bountiful Car accidents were caused by motorist backing out of their driveways and crashing into children riding their bikes on the sidewalk. By implementing law enforcement at crosswalks and school zones, Bountiful authorities hope to put a stop to this trend that is making Bountiful residents increasingly unsafe.

Utah Pedestrian Statistics

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 64,000 pedestrians were injured and nearly 5,000 killed in auto accidents in 2005. Of that number, children under the age of 15 accounted for more than 25% of these victims. The very nature of pedestrian accidents account for the serious and often fatal injuries the victims sustain. A pedestrian or bike rider has basically no protection against the force of an automobile that weighs upwards of a ton. These catastrophic injuries often have significant long-term physical, emotion and financial consequences for the injured and their families.

Claim for Compensation

If the negligence or wrongdoing of another has caused the Utah pedestrian or bicycle accident that you or a loved one has tragically been involved in, you may be able to file a claim for compensation. Compensation includes payment of your current and future medical bills, any property damage, your lost wages, your pain and suffering and more. An experienced Salt Lake personal injury lawyer will be able to advise victims and their families in such cases about their legal rights and options. Call (801) 506-0800, to speak one of our experienced personal injury attorneys and learn more about protecting your rights.

Utah Bicycle Injury Statistics

The following Utah bicycle accident statistics were provided by the Utah Department of Health and the Utah Violence & Injury Prevention Program.

• 91% of bicyclists involved in bicycle vs. motor vehicle crashes are injured
• Bicyclists most often involved in a crash with motor vehicles are between the ages of 5-24 years.
• Utah has the 15^th highest bicycle fatality rate in the U.S.

How to File a No-Fault Bicycle Accident Claim in Utah

In the state of Utah, bicyclists and pedestrians who have been injured in a Utah accident are covered by the no-fault auto insurance of the vehicle that hit them. That is why it is vital that if you are involved in an automobile verses bicycle accident that you call the police and obtain a police report. It is not enough to just write down the at-fault driver’s contact and insurance information. A police report can eliminate liability disputes efficiently so that your medical treatment is paid for quickly.

What are PIP Benefits?

In Utah, the state minimum no-fault insurance policy coverage is $3,000 in Personal Injury Protection (PIP) which is the policy that pays for your medical expenses. PIP also covers a portion of your lost wages and lost ability to perform household duties. However, once PIP benefits have been exhausted, you do assume the responsibility to pay for your outstanding medical bills and any additional treatment.  The skilled Salt Lake City bicycle accident and Utah personal injury attorneys specialize in managing your medical specials, filing your PIP claim and getting you a substantial settlement for your bodily injury claim. We understand the additional financial stress is aggravating when you are trying to recover from the injuries you sustained in your bicycle or pedestrian accident. This is where we can help.

To find why our skilled Salt Lake City bicycle attorneys have the best customer ratings and to learn more about what you can do to protect your personal injury claim, contact us at 801.506.0800. We will ensure that your feel the sense of security that your Utah personal injury claim is being handled with the upmost care so you can focus on healing.

Utah's Most Dangerous Area For Bikers

According to the most recent report conducted by the Violence and Injury Prevention Program (VIPP) of the Utah Department of Health (UDOH), Grand County of Utah is the most dangerous area in Utah for bicyclists. The report compiled data of all reported bicycle crashes from every county in Utah from 1996 to 2006. With a bicycle crash rating of 54.74%, cyclists of Grand County have about a 20% higher chance of crashing than the state wide average for bicycle collisions and accidents. The report lists Salt Lake County as second most dangerous and Utah County closely follows as third.

What Makes Cyclists Prone to Accidents in Grand County?

Upon reading this VIPP Utah Bicycle Safety and Statistics Report, the experienced Utah personal injury attorneys of the Christensen Law Firm, PLLC, investigated into what made Grand County so hazardous for bicycle riders. Clearly the red rock mountain biking trails are an adrenaline action sport that would present immediate danger to even the most experienced cyclists.

What we were most surprised to learn was that the road biking down near Moab, Arches National Forest, Green River, and La Sal Mountains are astoundingly high risk areas due to the incredibly narrow shoulders and the absence of designated bike paths. As you would expect due to the beautiful landscape and outdoors venues of Grand County, the area is a popular tourist and vacation area to campers, climbers and cyclists. This translates into heavy traffic of RVs, commercial vans, motor-vehicles of all types, motorcycle and cyclists.

Quick List of Grand County Venues

• Arches National Park
• Red Rock Mountain Biking
• Canyonlands
• Castle Valley Over Look Trail
• La Sal Moutain Loop
• Green River
• Slick Rock and much more!

What You Should Do to Protect Yourself in a Grand County Accident?

If you are involved in a bicycle accident in Grand County, it will probably be awhile for emergency personnel to reach you. Also, since Grand County is a popular tourist attraction, it is very likely that the at-fault driver is not a Utah resident. There are several safety precautions that our experienced personal injury attorneys recommend that you take in order to protect your interests.

• Bring your camera and Take photos of everything in your Utah Bike Accident. This including taking photos of the vehicle that hit you, their license number, registration cards, and property damage. Take photos of your injuries, your bike and the scene of the accident.
• Get contact information of the witnesses and the at-fault party. If you were hit by out-of-towners, getting their contact information immediately is vital to your personal injury claim.
• Call for help. Even if it takes the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and hour or two, they will send emergency crews and document your call. This phone call documents the accident by a regulation agency which can be vital to your personal injury claim.
• Get medical attention. Your health and well-being is the most important factor in a bicycle accident. Have medical authorities check for possible whiplash, brain and spinal cord injuries as they are the most prevailing injuries cyclists sustain.

If you or a loved one was injured while biking due to the negligence of another, we highly recommend calling an experienced Utah motorcycle injury attorney. Learning about your legal rights and options after being involved in a Utah personal injury accident is of the utmost importance. Contact us for a FREE no obligation consultation with one of the Christensen Law Firm’s experienced Utah motorcycle attorney by calling our main phone line at 801.506.0800.

National Statistics on Bicycle Fatalities

From 1996 to 2005, statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) confirmed that Utah has the 15^th highest amount of bicycle fatalities in the nation. As recreational cycling and commuting has become popular over the past five years, bicycle accidents with injuries have increased substantially in the Beehive State. On average, six bicyclists are killed and more than 850 bicycle verses car accidents with traumatic injury occur each year in Utah.

Government Resources

Utah Department of Health (UDOH) has provided Utah residents with a valuable resource called the Violence and Injury Prevention Program (VIPP) which addresses a variety of issues including bicycle safety. VIPP offers a Bicycle Rodeo Course Program packet that can be downloaded for FREE which includes 14 different safety skill stations that promote safe bicycle riding. The Bicycle Safety Rodeo especially caters to children’s safety and education. As personal injury attorneys in the Salt Lake Valley, we have seen many child victims of horrific bicycle accidents. We hope that by increasing awareness and bicycle safety techniques within our community, these unfortunate accidents can be eliminated. By clicking on the following Bicycle Rodeo link, you can take part in enhancing bicycle safety and reducing Utah bicycle accidents. We recommend putting together a family bicycle safety evening or planning a neighborhood bike safety education event to go over several of the following the several activities provided by the Utah Violence and Injury Prevention Program (VIIPP) such as:

• Obstacle courses that involve hand signals, braking sharply, and balancing on sharp turns.
• Five steps on how to strap you helmet on snugly and safely.
• How to maneuver through intersections, stoplights, and crossroads.
• How to dodge potential hazards in the road such as rocks, holes or debris.

Boys Will Be Boys

The competitive nature of boys, especially in the area of sports and outdoors activities, creates a higher likelihood that they would be injured in high risk activities.

• Male cyclists account for more than 75% of the fatalities in bicycle verses automobile accidents.
• The Utah Department of Health reports that 60% of bicycle verses car collision accidents are with bicyclists younger than 20 years old.
• Males tend to not wear helmets

Costs of NOT Wearing a Helmet in Utah

The Utah Department of Health estimates that over $18 million is spent in health care costs each year because cyclists fail to wear helmets. According to the 2008 statistics provided by UDOH , if every Utah cyclist wore a helmet when cycling, the following would be prevented:

• Three deaths each year,
• 59 hospitalizations,
• 920 emergency department visits, and
• $18 million in emergency health care costs

The Brain Injury Association reports that wearing a bike helmet can reduce the risk of head and brain injuries by 85%

Have you been in a Bike verses Car Accident

At the Christensen Law Firm, we understand the physical, emotional and financial burdens that accompany a tragic accident. We are dedicated to providing superlative legal representation to our clients. That is why we limit the number of cases we take, providing our clients with the personal attention they deserve. Your case will be personally prepared by one of our skilled bicycle injury lawyers and not a legal assistant. Our expert attorneys will aggressively and diligently work to ensure you receive full and just compensation. If you or a loved one has been injured in a Utah bicycle accident, call the Christensen Law Firm for a free consultation on your legal rights.

Main office: 801-506-0800
Utah County: 801-224-2999
Davis/ Weber County: 801-294-9500