The annual collisions report provides statistical data on all reported collisions on City of Ottawa roads. According to this report, an average of 250 bike accidents happen every year in Ottawa. The purpose of this blog is certainly not to scare people. The intention behind writing down the 10 steps to take after a bike Accident in Ottawa is to serve 2 purposes:
1. To provide with the information that may reduce chances of future accidents.
2. To help find answers to most common questions of the bike accident victims.
There is no doubt in the fact that biking is an amazing mode of exercise and a fantastic way to stay healthy. But all bike riders should know the safety precautions and measures, that are necessary to avoid getting in any sort of bike accidents. Safety is paramount when riding a bike as but no matter how safety conscious you are, the odds are against you
Sadly, getting knocked off the bike is something most bikers experience even after taking precautions. Despite this, most of the bikers have no idea what to do in the unfortunate case of bike accident. Surprisingly, there are no sufficient resources available to educate the bike riders. As Ottawa road are equally dangerous for bikers, especially on busy hours. Therefore, we have put together a list of steps to take after a bike accident in Ottawa to fill the void with critical information.
What are common types of Collisions?
There are some common types of collisions that cause most of the bike accidents. The circumstances of these incidents are almost similar so you should keep these in mind while riding on the road. Also educate your children to avoid making these errors.
1. DRIVEWAY RIDE-OUTS:
The most common collisions occur, when the bikers make mistake of riding out of a driveway without looking at the coming traffic. This results in horrific accidents.
Take following measures to easily avoid these types of collisions:
- Remove all kinds of distractions and objects that are causing obstruction in the view of oncoming traffic.
- Every biker should always stop at the end of the driveway. Take a few seconds to watch for the traffic and then enter the street.
2. NOT STOPPING AT STOP SIGNS:
Most of the bikers recklessly avoid the stop signs to spare themselves from regular stops. This careless behavior results in collisions because a motorist will always expect you to stop at the STOP sign. Children are mostly not aware of the importance of the traffic laws. Therefore, parental guidance has a vital role in avoiding such type of collisions.
3. LEFT-HAND TURNS:
A lot of bike accidents happen due to carelessness of bike riders when turning left without checking for traffic. Bike riders must stay on the right lane of the road, so of any rider all of a sudden takes left turns. It may cause confusion on the road. There is a high risk of an accident by colliding with the vehicle coming from behind.
Always check the traffic coming from behind before making a left turn. If necessary, walk your bike to cross the road. Never make sudden left turns especially on busy streets.
4. MOTORISTS OVERTAKING:
This is the most dangerous act, the impatience of several motorists cause horrific collisions. These types of accidents often occur when any vehicle attempts to pass the bike on a narrow or twisted path. Sometimes, the driver miscalculate the room on the road and sometimes the bike make a sudden swerve. In both cases the accidents are severely dangerous.
5. DRIVERS TURNING RIGHT ON RED LIGHT:
When the drivers choose to turn right on red light, there is a high risk that they might collide with bike crossing the street. This can be life-threatening in cases where the biker is coming against the traffic flow and gets hit by car head on.
10 steps to take after a Bike Accident
Oftently, people do not have knowledge what actions should be taken in case of any collision. Most of the time, people fail to think straight due to shock or injury. It is very important to stay vigilant and act smartly otherwise you can miss out on things that can immensely affect your life.
Here are 10 steps to take after a bike accident in Ottawa. By gaining knowledge of these points you can act promptly and use your rights correctly.
1. Stay calm, Remain on the scene and Wait for the Police:
Being furious is understandable but it is better for you to keep calm. Stay cool on your head and reserve your energy for further actions. Mostly, the injuries are so severe in a bike accident that emergency services are immediately called at the site. If in any case, they don’t arrive, never leave the place. Stay where you are and call the Police yourself.
Everyone involved in the accident is legally bound to remain at the scene, you should ask the witnesses and the driver to stay there. If you do leave the site then there will be no chance that you can catch the driver again. So in any case, wait for the Police to arrive.
2. Obtain every bit of information:
While you wait for the Police, utilize this time to gather as much information as you can. Talk to the motorist. Exchange the basic information, that includes:
- Name
- Address
- Phone number
- Driver’s license
- License plate number
- Insurance policy
- Model of the car etc.
Try to note down name and contact details of witnesses as well. But if you are seriously injured then just leave it to Police.
3. Document the accident, how it happened?
As soon as you gain consciousness after the collision, try to remember every detail of the incident and immediately write it down. Ask yourself when, where, and how did it happen? If you have a phone, try to take photos of the scene and surroundings. For instance the road, intersections, buildings, sign posts, the vehicle and the bike. If taking pictures is not possible, draw it down. Roughly make a map showing positions and directions of every vehicle involved.
4. Do not negotiate with the driver in any case:
Never negotiate with the Motorist in any case. Even if they accept their mistake and take the blame, just do not take any decision at that very moment. You never know the full extent of your damage that includes your injuries as well as bike damage. Because once you accept their apologies and do not report the accident to the Police. Then there is a high chance that they will completely deny the accident if you go to them later.
5. Make sure to file your police report:
As soon as the police reaches the scene, give them your statement. Make sure your statement is based on absolute truth. Avoid ranting and try to stick to the facts while explaining the accident. Never ever suggest the police that it may be your fault.
Incase you are in hospital then you can get the police report later to make sure that your statement is also documented. If you see a different story on the report, ask for changes. Do not forget to report your injuries, no matter how minor they sound. Get a written evaluation report from the doctor. Take photos of the injuries and make sure to document your symptoms for 2 to 3 weeks.
6. Seek immediate medical attention:
The adrenalin acts to mask the pain and injuries, therefore even if you feel all alright seek properly medical attention as soon as possible. There may be some underlying injuries that would not show initially. If you leave them undocumented then it may cause trouble in claiming the damages later.
7. Report the collision to Insurance company:
Never contact insurance company directly. Talk to your personal attorney in cases of bike accident. They will negotiate with the company on your behalf that mean you do no have to deal with the insurance company. This is extremely beneficial as the claim adjusters can use anything you say against you. If you do not hire an attorney, report the accident to insurance yourself anyway.
8. Never talk to the driver’s insurance company:
The motorist insurance company will contact you to negotiate. Do not agree to any settlement they are offering, prior to gaining complete knowledge of your claim support.
9. Keep records and preserve evidence:
Write down all your physical and emotional symptoms, because it would become difficult to recall them when asked later. In addition to this, keep record of all the expenditures following the accident. This includes the bike repair cost, damaged cloths and your transportation charges when you have lost your bike. Furthermore, you must preserve the damaged clothes and damaged bike parts as an evidence.
Incase you are in hospital then you can get the police report later to make sure that your statement is also documented. If you see a different story on the report, ask for changes. Do not forget to report your injuries, no matter how minor they sound. Get a written evaluation report from the doctor. Take photos of the injuries and make sure to document your symptoms for 2 to 3 weeks.
10. Finally, make a claim:
Discuss with your bike accident lawyer before pursuing a claim. There are two options under which you can move forward.
1. Seek no-fault part 7 benefits from insurance company.
2. Make personal injury compensations claim.
We highly recommend you to hire a professional lawyer to take care of these legal matters.
Conclusion:
In Ottawa, the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) gives cyclists similar rights as other motorists and the responsibilities are also the same. Be known that a bicycle is categorized as a vehicle, therefore uniform rights and responsibilities are granted as any other automobile.
Drivers are obliged to respect the bike riders on the road and share the road. Together we can make sure the slogan “share the road” truly meaningful. It can only be made possible if all road users understand the basic laws and follow them.
If you need a bike or looking for a bike tune-up service? Check out Foster’s Sports Centre. Here you can walk in on any day, check out some bikes, and walk out with a new bike.
We have been serving the local bicycle community for over 50 years. We have had the pleasure of outfitting entire families with bicycles and sporting equipment.