In cities across the United States, drivers may notice that a narrow separate lane has been added to the side of the road. These designated bike lanes, sometimes marked with a bicycle symbol to indicate their purpose, are preventing car and bicycle accidents across the country and saving people money they would have spent on hospital bills and a lawyer. car accident injuries.

Many people’s excuses for not making the healthier, greener decision to ride a bike instead of a vehicle include safety issues and not having a smooth, continuous path to ride. Many Americans who own bicycles simply consider them to be recreational toys to be taken to the park for riding and exercise.

However, the bicycle is slowly regaining its place as a viable transportation device. Thanks to the addition of bike lanes in many major cities, more people have been commuting to and from work, school, and the grocery store on two wheels.

Studies have shown that the number of bicycle accidents decreases as the number of bicyclists on the road increases. The lanes encourage cycling on major roads, which has been shown to decrease car traffic. The increased presence of cyclists forces those who choose to drive cars to take the lanes seriously and yield to the most fragile vehicle.

In the Netherlands, for example, the rate of car-bicycle accidents is about 26 times lower than in the United States. This is true despite the fact that around 25 per cent of its population commutes by bicycle, while only 1 per cent of our population does. Why? The Netherlands, although a much smaller area, contains more than 18,000 miles of segregated bike lanes.

The lanes encourage more cycling and less driving, a change that is generally beneficial. More biking and less driving means less traffic, less pollution, more exercise, more safety, and less money one would potentially spend on gas, maintenance, and a car accident attorney.

But some people have had problems with the rails. In New York, ironically one of the first US cities to establish mandatory bike lanes, protesters argue that the lanes take away their rights as motor vehicle operators by forcing them to share the road. Other arguments against the lanes include the fact that they eliminate valuable curbside parking spaces, cut through loading zones originally designated for delivery trucks, and sometimes actually cause more traffic due to narrow lanes.

As frustrating as the adjustment period can be, studies have shown that equipping cities with bike-friendly roads severely reduces instances of car-bicycle crashes and injuries. The protection of life and physical safety of people outweighs the minor inconveniences posed by rails.

In the end, most drivers would probably rather suck it up and yield to bicyclists than have to deal with a car accident injury attorney after accidentally knocking over a bicyclist on a road unsuitable for bicycles.