Common Misconceptions about Scottsdale Child Bicycle Crashes

By The Husband and Wife Law Team on September 8, 2014

There’s no doubt about it: kids are going to get hurt, they’re going to take chances, and they’re going to make decisions that you wish they wouldn’t, including ones that lead to a Scottsdale bicycle crash. But the fact of the matter is that children aren’t always the ones responsible for these collisions, and neither are drivers on the road. Dozens of misconceptions surrounding these types of incidents work together to cause those involved more grief over the short and long term aftermath of these accidents than is necessary. As a parent, it’s your right and your responsibility to educate yourself about incidents involving child cyclists on the roads of Scottsdale so you know what you’re up against in recovery.

• Misconception: It is always the driver’s fault.
  Truth: Although parents everywhere would like to believe that the driver should have done more to avoid hitting their child, the truth is that sometimes hitting a rock on the sidewalk will send your child’s bicycle, and your child, into traffic. And sometimes, your child won’t wait for the light to change, or won’t use a crosswalk.
• Misconception: The driver will always receive a ticket, making it easier to seek recompense.
  Truth: It’s important to remember that tickets are assigned to drivers when they are at-fault in a collision. If the police officer feels the driver did what they could to prevent the incident, they likely won’t be ticketed. That being said, if the at-fault driver does not receive a ticket, you can still seek legal remedy for damages and injuries.
• Misconception: The child is always at-fault.
  Truth: Just like parents want to blame drivers, many drivers want to alleviate themselves of responsibility. Many times drivers will say the child “just rode out in front of them”. In some cases this is true, but other times, the driver was simply not paying attention, or was speeding in an area where children play.
• Misconception: Slower speeds will stop serious accidents from happening.
  Truth: Children on bicycles can, and frequently do, sustain injuries while riding a bicycle even when the vehicle that hits them is going only 10 miles per hour. They can be injured from falling and hitting the ground, or even from being crushed by their bicycle or the tires of the car.

Keeping your child safe is important. Keep the truth about accidents in your mind at all times, and you’ll make it through any recovery just fine.