Because bicycles offer so little physical protection, the injuries that result from collisions with cars are often severe. These include extensive lacerations—known as “road rash”—fractures, concussions, and more.

There is insurance that covers bike accident victims. Unknown to many cyclists is the fact that certain types of so-called “car insurance” would cover their medical treatment in the event of an accident. If you or someone you know has recently been in a bicycle accident, and carries the right insurance, this may be a welcome piece of good news. Let’s look at the types of coverage that are typically relevant in bicycle accidents.

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Insurance (UN/UIM)

This type of insurance, which I believe anyone who drives a car should carry, covers your damages in the event of an accident with a driver who has little or no insurance. It would also cover you in the event of a hit-and-run. This type of coverage helps people ensure that they do not suffer as the result of another’s failure to purchase sufficient insurance. Likewise, if a bicyclist were injured in an accident with an insufficiently insured driver, this type of policy would pay for his or her losses up to the policy limit.

Med Pay

Medical Payments Coverage—“Med Pay” for short—is actually a type of health insurance that one purchases as part of a comprehensive auto insurance policy. Med Pay can be an excellent supplement to one’s regular health insurance; not only will it pay for one’s medical deductibles and copayments, but it will also typically cover a wider range of medical services and doesn’t limit you to a single care provider. That’s why an auto insurance policy that includes medical payments coverage can also be so beneficial in the case of a bicycle accident.

Personal Injury Protection

This type of insurance—also known as “PIP”—is not available in every state. However, it offers a key advantage. Regarded as a type of “no fault” insurance, PIP covers you no matter who was at fault in the accident. Therefore, holding this type of coverage effectively guarantees that your own insurance would cover your injuries up to the policy limit, which sometimes saves accident victims—including injured bicyclists—from the ordeal of having to file a lawsuit.

Of course, it should go without saying that, if you’ve been in a bicycle accident and don’t carry any of these types of coverages, you can still receive the financial means you need to recover, whether through the driver’s liability insurance or your own health insurance—or both. For the future, if your auto insurance policy doesn’t include any of the above coverages, you may want to—at the very least—look into whether the additional cost would be worth the extra protection.

It is common knowledge that wearing a helmet can help prevent head injuries from bicycle accidents. However, helmets cannot guarantee immunity from head injuries. Even those who are wearing helmets in a bike accident can suffer from head injuries, the most common of which is a concussion.

Although concussions are common, that does not mean that they are not dangerous. A concussion is caused by a blow to the head or body. The brain, which is surrounded by spinal fluid inside the skull, is shaken by the blow and crashes into the skull, which causes the brain to temporarily stop working normally.

In some people, the symptoms of a concussion are obvious, and they may feel dizzy or pass out. Others may not show symptoms right away, or even show any symptoms at all. Symptoms of a concussion include: passing out, dizziness, lightheadedness, blurred vision, loss of memory about the accident, slurred speech, difficulty with balance or walking, confusion, vomiting and/or nausea. Most symptoms last between a few hours or a few days, but may last longer, particularly if the victim does not rest. If an accident victim is showing any of these signs of a concussion, he or she should immediately cease any activity in order to reduce the risk of further or permanent brain injury. It is wise to see a doctor as soon as possible, particularly if the victim is a small child, because it can often be difficult to tell if a child has a concussion.

Possible long-term effects of a head injury make it particularly important to see a doctor after a bicycling accident. In rare cases, the symptoms of a concussion can continue or even worsen over time, which is called post-concussive syndrome. Symptoms include: difficulty concentrating or recalling information, headaches, blurred vision, disturbed sleep or insomnia, sleepiness or lethargy, personality changes, irritability, lack of interest in usual activities, dizziness, changes in sex drive, and/or difficulty standing up or walking. If an accident victim is experiencing any of these symptoms, or the symptoms are getting worse instead of better, he or she should call a doctor right away. A visit to the doctor is not only important to getting proper treatment, but a doctor can also help document a victim’s injuries, which is a vital part of a successful injury claim.

For more on the treatment of concussions, you can read more at WebMD.com.

Knowing your child’s abilities on their bike is the key to preventing bike accident injuries. Though of course each child is different, there are some general guidelines about the abilities of children at different ages.

Ages 1 to 5

• Most children ages 5 and under are not ready to ride a bike. You can start teaching them about bike safety while they are passengers on your bike, however.
• Teach preschool cyclists how bicycles are not the same as a toy car or a tricycle. Bicycles are not toys.
• Teach them to stay away from the street, and to keep an eye out for things that might hurt them.
• Make sure they wear a helmet at all times, and they understand why helmets are so important.
• Familiarize them with different parts of the bike and helmet, and how to use the brakes to slow and stop.

Ages 5 to 8

• Many children learn to ride a bike during this time, and they should learn safe riding skills at the same time.
• Children at this age should not ride unsupervised.
• The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children in this age group ride only on the sidewalk, assuming that riding on the sidewalk is legal in your community. Make sure that your children learns to alert pedestrians to their presence, and understand that being on the sidewalk does not mean they are free from danger. They should still watch for cars in driveways, and always walk their bikes across intersections.
• Make sure your child develops riding skills like avoiding obstacles in the road and riding in the straight line while looking behind.
• Teach them about selecting a good route. If they ride their bike to school, you should ride or walk with them until you are confident they can do it on their own.
• Even if they are riding on the sidewalk, children should always ride in the direction of traffic, and learn to obey traffic signs and signals.
• Teach them how to communicate with others on the road with hand signals and eye contact, and to look out for signs from others.
• Familiarize them with all the equipment on the bike, and the importance of their helmet.

Ages 9 to 12

• There is no set age for determining whether a child is ready to ride on the road. However, most children in this age group have developed the skills to ride on arterial roads. Beginner cyclists, no matter their age, should ride with supervision.
• Before letting your child ride on their own, think about their behavior out of traffic. Are they able to control their impulses? Do they take risks? Do they have trouble paying attention? Their behavior on the road will likely echo their behavior off the road.
• Teach them about advanced riding skills such as selecting gears and road positioning.
• Emphasize the importance of wearing a helmet. Many preteens and teens will begin to think helmets are uncool. See below for tips on how to get around this dangerous notion.

Ages 13-17

• Teen cyclists have much more independence. Stress that this means that they also have more responsibility as well.
• Teens should continue to work on riding skills like panic stops and riding in the winter.
• Teach them about common collision types and how to avoid them.
• Everyone should avoid riding at night. If they must, teach them to use proper lights on their bike, along with reflective clothing.

It can be easy for children—and even parents—to see their bicycle as a toy. The reality is that bikes are not toys. In fact, more children ages 5 to 14 go to hospital emergency rooms for injuries associated with bicycles than with any other sport. Despite the obvious dangers, riding a bike is a wonderful activity for kids. For younger kids, it improves coordination, provides exercise and is a fun activity that the whole family can do together. For older kids, riding a bike gives them the chance to be independent. You can teach your kids to understand that biking should be a whole lot of fun—with a healthy dose of caution.

The key to keeping your children out of bicycle accidents is knowing their limitations. Remember—children are not small adults. Children simply do not have the cognitive abilities that adult riders do. Here’s some examples:

• Children are not able to use their peripheral vision as adults do, and particularly children in grades K-3 have trouble spotting objects in their peripheral vision.
• Children do not naturally use sound to identify where traffic is coming from, and instead rely solely on their vision.
• Children are unable to grasp the complexity of many traffic situations. For example, they might believe that a road is safe because they cannot see any cars present, despite a nearby blind curve.
• Children are easily distracted and have poor impulse control. They may not understand the serious consequences of crossing a road without waiting for the light to change or the road to clear.
• Children believe that adults are responsible for their safety, and will look out for them, even a stranger driving an oncoming car.

Knowledge of your child’s limits is just one part of keeping them safe on the road. The Consumer Rights Alliance is dedicated to protecting children from bicycle accidents. You can find out more about keeping your kids safe here.

Bicycle lawyers are joining the celebration of Bike-to-Work Day on Friday, May 21. Biking to work promotes health, and can help you be more alert and productive at work.

Biking to work is green, too! By biking to work, you can help reduce carbon emissions, ease traffic congestion, and even save money on gas.

To help you take advantage of all these benefits, The League of American Bicyclists has provided lots of information about how you can take part in Bike-to-Work Day in your community.

Think you can’t bike to work? The League has provided helpful solutions to many of the common obstacles that riders face when contemplating riding their bikes to work.

Does your town not even have a Bike-to-Work Day event? Start your own! The League has also provided a step-by-step guide to help you or your business set up your own events. You can involve local schools, get local politicians to join your ride, host classes on bike riding, and even provide energizer stations, which is a great way to get sponsors involved!

The fun doesn’t have to end after just one day—May is National Bike Month! With the weather warming up, now is the perfect time to get outside and enjoy with your family and friends. To find out more about events you can join, click here.