Overview of Michigan Bicycle Accidents and Bike Injuries

In 2024, 1,773 traffic crashes involved bicyclists in Michigan. This resulted in 1,403 injuries and 29 fatalities. Unfortunately, bicycle-involved traffic crashes increased 20% from 1,480 in 2023. Almost 90% of bicycle deaths were male. Riding a bike, whether on a city street or off-road, is a fun and healthy way to get around. But when bicycle accident injuries happen due to the negligence of a car, the bicycle operator can make a claim for both no-fault benefits and pain and suffering. The Michigan bicycle accident lawyers at the Lee Steinberg Law Firm are here to answer your questions.

Michigan Bicycle Accident Victims – Your Rights and Benefits

Bicyclists injured in a car crash or a truck accident are entitled to the same benefits as drivers of a motor vehicle. This is true even if the injured bicyclist does not have any auto insurance or even owns a car. Under the Michigan no-fault law, so long as a bicyclist was in an accident involving a motor vehicle, they qualify for Michigan no-fault benefits.

This is because under MCL 500.3105, an insurer is liable to pay benefits for accidental bodily injury arising out of the ownership, operation, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle as a motor vehicle. So what do these benefits include:

• The payment of medical expenses up to the medical limit in the insurance policy or allowed by law.
• 85% of lost wages for up to 3 years from the date of the accident.
• The payment for friends or family completing household chores. These are known as replacement services. The payment is $20 per day for up to 3 years from the date of the accident.
• The payment of attendant care or nursing care to friends, family, or professionals for severely injured victims.
• Home modifications, prescription drug payments, and the payment of out-of-pocket medical costs.

There are rules to determine which auto insurance carrier is responsible for paying your benefits. Contact an experienced Michigan Bicycle Accident Injury Lawyer to find out more about how the process works.

Michigan Drivers Have Responsibility for Keeping Bicyclists Safe

All motorists need to take extra care when sharing the road with bicyclists. These crashes frequently occur when a vehicle is approaching an intersection, turning, or entering a parking lot, and when bicyclists are approaching from behind a car or truck. Driving behaviors that are preventable but continue to contribute to Michigan bicycle accidents include:

• Failure to yield to a bicyclist when required
• Tailgating or squeezing passing too close (less than 3 feet)
• Turning immediately in front of a bicyclist
• Speeding and driving too fast for conditions
• Opening a vehicle door into a bicyclist’s path
• Not obeying traffic signals
• Driving while distracted (such as texting) or intoxicated or impaired by drugs, including marijuana and prescription medications
• Blasting a horn, yelling, or harassing bicyclists in other way.

If you are a hit by a motorist who flees the scene, you still have rights. These are treated as hit and run accidents, just like a car accident. It is important to try and get as much information as you can. Talk to witnesses or neighbors in the area. See if they caught anything on video or their Ring camera. Call 911 and request immediate medical help.

Distracted Drivers and Speeding Drivers Are More Likely to Injure Michigan Bicyclists

Bicycle riding in Michigan is becoming increasingly popular, with new bike lanes being built in communities such as Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Ann Arbor over the last decade.

In Detroit alone, the city has constructed over 100 miles of new bike paths in the last decade. There are now very popular bike-only trails, including the Dequindre Cut and the Detroit River. As more Michiganders use bikes to commute to work and get to destinations, we are expected to share the road with bicyclists.

To stay safe and avoid colliding with a motorist, bicycle riders should always:

• Stay alert, avoid distraction, and do not ride after drinking alcohol and taking drugs, including prescription medications.
• Ride with the direction of traffic (except in a contra-flow bike lane)
• Yield when required.
• Wear a helmet, fluorescent clothing, and equip your bike with the appropriate lighting.
• Ride with predictability and avoid weaving in and out of traffic.
• Ride away from the curb and stay in bike lanes, off sidewalks.

When riding a bicycle on Michigan roads, including roundabouts and intersections, follow the same rules as motorists. Always stay alert and off your phone, wear protective gear, and know how to act quickly if involved in a crash by contacting law enforcement to make an accident report, even if the driver who hit you has fled the scene.

Michigan Bicyclists Must Also Obey the Law

Michigan bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as motorists via MCL 257.657. The law specifically says:

Each person riding a bicycle, electric bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric skateboard, or moped or operating a low-speed vehicle or commercial quadricycle upon a roadway has all of the rights and is subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle under this chapter …

This means if you are riding a bicycle, you must obey the law and follow the rules of the road, just like a person driving a car. These laws include:

• Use hand signals when turning or stopping.
• Obey traffic signals, signs, and roadway markings.
• Ride no more than two abreast (side by side).
• Have a white light on the front of the bicycle and a red reflector on the back of the bicycle when riding in low light and when it is dark.

Common Injuries to Michigan Cyclists

Some of the most common reasons a motor vehicle driver will be found at fault for a collision with a bicyclist are speeding, distraction, or making a poor driving decision, such as driving too close. The results are often side-swiping or rear-ending a bicycle. And, too often, the harm that is done from a motorist crash with a bicyclist is irreversible.

Common Michigan bike accident injuries our car accident and personal injury attorneys see include:

• Concussions and whiplash-type injuries can lead to severe traumatic brain damage
• Shoulder dislocations
• Neck, spine, and back injuries
• Soft tissue and musculoskeletal-related injuries
• Broken arms, hips, and legs, and bone fractures
• Internal injuries

Does Michigan’s No-Fault Law Cover Bicycle Accident Injuries?

To determine whose No-Fault insurance will cover a bicyclist’s injuries, the law provides “priority” rules. These rules determine which car insurance company is obligated to pay benefits after a bike crash. Consulting with a Michigan bicycle accident lawyer will give you the best chance for a full financial recovery.

We all want to get outside. Just be sure to follow the rules of the road, wear a helmet, be mindful of hazardous drivers, and have fun! If you encounter trouble and are injured, be aware that you have rights, and our attorneys can likely assist you.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a Michigan Bicycle Crash Attorney

The experienced attorneys at the Lee Steinberg Law Firm, P.C.. have represented bicycle accident victims and their families for over 50 years. If you have been seriously injured due to a car crash while riding a bike, we can help.

Please contact our bicycle accident attorneys at 1-800-LEE-FREE (1-800-533-3733) or complete a contact form . And remember, you pay nothing until we settle your case.

Watch Attorney Eric Steinberg: Michigan Biking & Driving Tips