What to Do After a Bicycle Accident
The steps you take in the minutes, hours, and days after being hit can shape your whole claim. Here is a simple checklist to protect your health and your rights as a cyclist.
Get to safety and call 911
Get out of the roadway if you can, and call 911 so police create an official report and paramedics can check you. Do not remove your helmet or gear until you have been checked for injuries.
Document everything you can
If you are able, photograph the vehicle and its plate, your bike, the bike lane or road, the signals, and the point of impact. Get the driver's information and any witnesses' names and numbers.
Get medical care — even if you feel okay
Adrenaline can mask serious injuries, and some appear hours or days later. Prompt care protects your health and ties your injuries to the crash. Keep every record and bill.
Preserve your bike, helmet, and gear
Do not repair or throw out your bike, helmet, or gear — they can be important evidence of the forces involved. Store them safely.
Be careful with insurers
Be cautious about giving a recorded statement to the driver's insurer, and do not accept a quick settlement, before you have advice. An early statement can be used to blame you.
The deadlines and rules depend on your state
The steps above apply wherever you were hurt. Filing deadlines, fault rules, and limits on damages differ by state — pick yours for what applies to bicycle accidents.
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This is general information, not legal advice. Every situation is different, and the law differs by state.