Had a cycling accident that could put Mark Cavendish to shame?

Mark Cavendish, Olympic cyclist for Great Britain admitted that he was at fault for a cycling accident that occurred in the points race that took out two other competitors at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. The crash happened during the final round of the omnium competition, the winner Elia Viviani for Italy was knocked off his bike and South Korean rider Park Sang-hoon was taken away in a stretcher.

Accidents like these seem more shocking and unexpected when televised and involve professionals, but accidents of this nature happen to many of us in day to day life away from the camera’s. The most common types of cycling accidents that cyclists make a claim for include:

• Accidents involving pot holes on the road.
• Motorists unexpectedly opening vehicle doors
• Motorists encroaching on cycle lanes
• Motorists not leaving sufficient room when overtaking
• Accidents on roundabouts
• Motorists failing to accord you a right of way
• Malfunction of your cycle owing to negligent assembly by supplier or manufacturer

Statistics from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents reported that the most recent recorded figures show that there were 17,773 cycling related incidents involving adults and children slightly injured, and 3,401 seriously injured across 12 months. These figures do not account for the fact that many cyclist casualties are not reported to the police, even in the event that the cyclist is inured badly enough to be taken to hospital. Statistics for the UK show that casualties involving cyclists have risen in recent years as the amount of cycling has increased, and that most cycling accidents happen in urban areas.

If you have experienced a cycling accident and would like to speak to Stuart Biddle or one of the Personal Injury team, please contact 0161 930 5151.