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In dense areas, there are business parking lot driveways on just about every block. When drivers are pulling into or exiting driveways and cyclists are pedaling past driveways, there are challenges—making cyclists vulnerable. Unfortunately, a considerable amount of bicycle crashes take place when drivers pull into parking lots or exit driveways and merge back into traffic.
The Reason?
There are a variety of factors that can lead to car and bicycle driveway accidents, such as:
- Size of the bicycle – Drivers are typically looking for other cars before entering into traffic from a parking lot. Sometimes, drivers are so focused on the cars that they forget to look for bicyclists. Because bikes are smaller than cars, it can be easy for drivers to look past them and cut them off.
- Poor sight – When drivers exit driveways, there are sometimes parked cars, bushes, or signs that can block their view—making it difficult to enter back onto the road safely. Drivers might think it is clear but fail to see a bicyclist about to cross over the driveway exit.
- Driver negligence – Sometimes drivers are in a hurry and have so many things on their minds that they simply fail to watch out for cyclists on the road. When drivers are careless and negligent behind the wheel, they are more likely to cause bicyclists to crash.
Because bicyclists have the same rights to be on the road as drivers of cars, it is important that drivers do a better job of looking out for bicyclists, yielding to cyclists, and driving more cautiously when entering and exiting parking lots.
What Can I Do?
At Mallard Perez, we want to help reduce the number of serious and deadly bicycle crashes that take place in the Sarasota area—which is why we encourage you to share this information on Facebook so others will be mindful of these dangers.
