Sacramento news reports that a Sacramento man died following a fatal car vs. bicycle accident on West Capitol Avenue in West Sacramento early last week. According to reports, both the vehicle and the bicyclist were travelling eastbound along the 2000 block of West Capitol when the collision occurred. The bicyclist swerved to avoid a large puddle and veered into the number two lane of traffic. The Sacramento man was then hit by a car. The bicyclist suffered major head trauma and was pronounced dead at the scene. Although the accident remains under investigation, weather conditions have been cited as a possible contributing factor whereas speed and alcohol do not appear to be involved.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Sacramento bicycle accident, it is important to seek the advice of a Sacramento bicycle accident lawyer right away. Many times, it may be possible to recover compensation for your injuries. Types of damages include medical expenses, lost past and future wages, pain and suffering and emotional distress. An experienced Sacramento bike attorney can review your case and provide critical advice concerning your next steps.

While not all bicycle accidents and injuries from bicycle accidents can be avoided, several tips exists that may help improved the safety of California's roadways.

Some of these tips include:

For Bicyclists

• Always wear a helmet. Your chances of sustaining a life threatening injury or serious brain injury significantly decrease if your head is protected.

• Obey the rules of the road. Light signals and traffic signs apply to bicyclists as well as motorists. Use signals to alert motorists to your movements.

• Be on the look out for cars in driveways, cross streets and parking lots.

• Ride as if you're invisible. In other words, ride in such a way that motorists won't hit you even if they don't see you. By riding in such a way that a car has to see you to take action to avoid hitting you (e.g., by their slowing down or changing lanes), then that means they will definitely hit you if they don't see you. But if you stay out of their way, then you won't get hit even if they didn't notice you were there.

For Motorists

For their part, motorists need to learn to share the road with bicyclists and to do their best to anticipate bicyclist's movements. In car v. bicycle accidents, generally bicyclists sustain the most significant injuries. To avoid substantial injuries, drivers must use common sense and provide sufficient room for bicyclists to maneuver.

While not all car/bike accidents can be prevented, with care on the part of motorists and bicyclists California's roads can become safer for all.

For more information or if you or a loved one has been injured in a Sacramento bike accident, contact the top Sacramento bike attorneys at the Law Office of Frederick J. Sette for an immediate consultation.