Ped and bicycle accidents will continue even with new law

Last week, we discussed a Connecticut bill that will likely soon become law after the governor grants its final approval. The bill increases the penalties for motor vehicle drivers who seriously injure or kill “vulnerable users” on the state’s roads, including pedestrians and bicyclists.

The bill was approved by House lawmakers 136-3 and passed the Senate with unanimous approval, so it is expected that the governor will show support for the bill as well.

When the bill becomes law, it will increase fines by up to $1,000 for drivers convicted of failing to use “reasonable care” and causing serious or fatal injuries in pedestrian and bicycle accidents. Drivers who recklessly cause serious or fatal injuries are already punished harshly under state law.

So why do we have these tough laws protecting bicyclists and pedestrians in the state of Connecticut?

The answer is that bicyclists and pedestrians lack the protections that are offered to motor vehicle drivers and passengers in the case of an accident, so catastrophic injuries often result when they are struck.

Additionally, more Connecticut residents are deciding to walk and bike instead of drive, which means there are more pedestrians and bikers on the roads to look out for.

For these reasons, we have to take extra precautions to make sure that drivers are being careful at all times.

If approved, the new law will send the message that the state cares about protecting its bicyclists, pedestrians and other “vulnerable” road users by coming down hard on negligent drivers. Unfortunately, though, it won’t be able to completely prevent pedestrian or bicycle accidents.

That’s where a personal injury lawyer comes in.

An experienced personal injury lawyer can help protect the rights of injured pedestrians or bicyclists to make sure that they get the compensation they deserve. When an insurance company is unwilling to negotiate a fair settlement, an experienced personal injury lawyer can represent accident victims in a court of law.

• To find out more about our practice representing victims of pedestrian accidents, please visit our New Haven Pedestrian Accidents Attorney page.
• To read more about our practice assisting victims of bicycle accidents, please visit our New Haven Bicycle Accident Lawyer page.