Bike accidents and common causes – Learn the most popular causes of a bike accident, how to treat a bike injury and actions to take in the case of one.

Riding a bike is a hallmark of everyone’s childhood. It gave you that freedom you needed at a young age, it allowed you to explore places and go on an adventure.

It’s a fact that cycling has numerous benefits to physical and mental health as well as broadening your social circle.

But from a car collision to a slippy road, there are many bike accidents that can happen, especially in the UK where the roads may be wet. It’s beneficial for you to know the dangers and how to treat bicycle accident injuries so you are prepared.

Bike riding is not only an adventurous pastime and a sustainable method of transportation, but it is also a healthy form of exercise because of the below benefits:

• Improves your mental health and well-being
• Strengthens your immune system
• Helps you lose weight
• Improves lung health
• Builds muscle
• Decreases the risk of heart disease and cancer
• Boosts the brain power
• Empowers your social skills

However, cycling can also result in bike accidents and injuries. It’s inevitable, even if you are extremely careful someone else may not be, or the weather conditions might lead to an accident.

According to research by the UK government, from 2015 to 2020 an average of 83 cyclists were seriously injured every week. Being aware of the common causes of a bike accident and ways to prevent injuries can keep you safe and sound.

The number of cyclist deaths in the UK increased by 16% in 2020 and has increased by 44% in the last 10 years. That’s not only due to the reasons listed below but also because of the increase in bicycle traffic in recent years - especially during the pandemic.

According to the National Centre for Health Statistics, 64% of cyclist deaths happened in motor-vehicle traffic crashes, while 36% were during non-traffic conditions.

These are the most common causes of cycling accidents:

• Riding against traffic leads to 25% of cycling injuries. The cyclist rides against the direction of oncoming traffic and a vehicle turns in front of the cyclist. It’s worth mentioning that almost half of pedal cycle fatalities involve a car.
  
  
• Right cross collision. Cyclists can ride alongside traffic on the correct side of the road as any other vehicle can. But when a motorbike pulls out of a side street or crosses from the other side it might cause an accident. Either the motorist will crash into the cyclist or he will stop in front of him, meaning the cyclist won’t have time to stop, colliding with the motorbike.
  
  
• Left cross collision. A cyclist goes with the flow of the traffic and a motorist takes a turn in front of the cyclist.
  
  
• Stop signs and stop lights. The accident in these cases occurs when a cyclist fails to brake properly when approaching a car from behind.
  
  
• Vehicle overtaking cyclist. In this case, the cyclist is legally riding in the road and gets hit from behind by an overtaking vehicle. This type of bike accident is usually fatal and often happens at night when the vehicle driver struggles to see the cyclist. Unfortunately, 54% of these crashes result in serious injuries or fatalities.
  
  
• Getting “doored” is another common reason for cycling accidents. This type of accident happens more often in urban areas when the driver has parked his car and opens the door without looking in the mirror, so the cyclist slams into the open door.

With the number of bike accidents increasing over the past few years it’s essential to know how to treat a bike accident injury.

No matter how beneficial for your health cycling is it can also become a dangerous hobby, especially if you don’t use protective clothing. Learn more about protective clothing and equipment for cycling here. 

Even the most careful cyclists can be involved in collisions that result in bike injuries.

Road rash is the friction burn or skin abrasion that happens when you fall off your bike and your skin scrapes against the street. When you fall off your bike your skin scrapes against the asphalt, which causes an abrasion referred to as road rash.

If the injury is not serious, you can treat it at home by cleaning it with the Elastoplast Wound Spray to avoid infection, but when several skin layers have been taken off you will need a specific medical treatment for optimal healing.

Knee pain is one of the most common cycling injuries. Knee pain is not necessarily a result of a crash, it can also happen because of intense cycling or too much exercise in a short time. However, the most common type of bike injury you can get after a bike accident is road rash and grazes.

Learn more details about treating bicycle accident injuries:

1. How to treat road rash
2. How to treat grazes and abrasions

If you either lose control and crash into another vehicle or if you’re hit by a vehicle, there is a process you should follow. As bike accidents are inevitable no matter how good you are at cycling, it’s important to know what to do in the case of a bicycle accident.

1. Make sure you are safe. First and foremost, before you go through any process you need to check if you are injured. As long as you and anyone else involved are safe, take your bike out of the road.
   
   
2. Call the police and wait for them to arrive. If there have been injuries or property damaged, you and the others involved are legally obligated to remain at the scene. Some cyclists don’t realise that they are injured until some time passes, and some minor injuries can develop into more serious ones in the future. You should obtain the driver’s details and wait for the police to arrive to document everything in the police report.
   
   
3. Document what happened. Though it may be difficult at the time, it's important to note down what happened. How did the cycling accident happen? When and where? Did the weather or any other natural factor influenced the accident? Create a report and give it to the police.
   
   
4. Preserve evidence. There is no valid allegation without supporting evidence. Leave the bike where the accident happened and take a picture of it. If anything was damaged, leave it as it is because it may be used as evidence in the insurance claim. Items that might be needed could be your helmet, bike, clothing and any other accessories you were using when the cycling accident happened.

Always see a doctor if the wound is deep, bleeds heavily or shows signs of infection like reddening, swelling or warmth.

Please note that, although these were compiled with great care, the tips and advice given on this website by no means substitute medical advice and treatment. If you have or suspect a health problem, consult a doctor and follow medical advice regardless of what you have learned on this website.

Always read carefully and follow the instructions for use or the product leaflets. For further information about our products, please contact us via email at ConsumerRelationsUK@Beiersdorf.com.