Bicycle ridership in the U.S. has increased significantly over the last several decades. Recreational, commuting, exercise, racing, training, and running errands are all common riding purposes. Since 2000 the number of commuters using bikes in the U.S. has grown by over 60%!
Bicycle accidents can be divided into two general categories: 1) crashes that involve technical issues with the roadway, signing, traffic signals, sight distance, intersections, speed limit, and so on, or 2) crashes that are simply one roadway user's violation of another roadway user's right-of-way.
With respect to the first category: In recent years many highway departments have addressed cyclists' needs by offering different degrees of separation between motor vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists as well as signing and pavement markings to alert drivers to cyclists' presence. And, in many areas cyclists, peds, and motor vehicles all share the same roadway without any accommodations for cyclists. Regardless of what treatments are or are not provided for cyclists, the owner/agency is required to consider the needs of cyclists.
With respect to the second category: We commonly see "right-of-way violation" crashes where a driver turns left in front of the cyclist, or pulls out into the street right across the cyclist's path. A bit less common, but still often seen, is the driver who passes a cyclist, and suddenly stops or nearly stops, such as to turn into a driveway, and the cyclist collides with the car.
Regardless of the exact mechanics of the crash it is critical to have an experienced CYCLIST as your investigator. Mr. Marceau has logged tens of thousands miles as a competitive cyclist and triathlete. And, he has investigated bicycle crashes for several decades. He understands the roles and responsibilities of the cyclist and driver. He understands the requirements for the design, construction, and maintenance of the roadway, greenway, and trail. And, he brings to his investigations his own experience using cycling facilities across the U.S.
