What to Do if You Witness a Bicycle Accident

I’ve learned that Minneapolis bikers are a conscientious community. From sharing the best bike clubs to helping with bicycle repair, the bikers here look out for each other.

That includes when bicycle accidents happen. Even the most cautious biker can take a terrifying fall and sustain serious injuries. If you ever witness a bicycle accident that involves a potentially negligent driver, there are things you can do to help.

I’ve learned that Minneapolis bikers are a conscientious community. From sharing the best bike clubs to helping with bicycle repair, the bikers here look out for each other.

Secure the Scene

Seeing an accident can be jarring. Whether you’re driving by or walking down the sidewalk, your initial reaction may be to stop and stare as you try to process what you’ve just witnessed.

Unfortunately, a lot can happen in the span of a few seconds. The longer you wait to take action, the more endangered the people involved in the accident can become. That’s why it’s critical to learn appropriate safety procedures and respond quickly.

Take notice of your immediate surroundings wherever the accident occurred. If there are other bystanders, enlist their help. One person can divert traffic away from or around injured people. Another can help you approach anyone involved in the accident to check on their injuries.

Check the Injured People

Once the scene is secure, approach the injured individual with caution, always being aware of your surroundings. If they appear to be unconscious or losing consciousness, speak loudly to them and see if they answer. If not, check to see if they’re breathing and have a pulse.

The next steps you take will depend on the condition of the people involved in the accident. If they’re responding, breathing and reporting that they’re okay, you can go right to exchanging information and offering to call someone for them. If not, you may have to call 911 immediately. You can also learn life-saving procedures by becoming First Aid and CPR certified.

When to Call 911

Calling emergency services is often a judgment call. However, it may be the one thing you do that saves a person’s life. Call 911 if:

The person is unconscious or so mentally out of it that they can’t respond to you
The person isn’t breathing or doesn’t have a heartbeat
The person has severe injuries and needs immediate care. (This may be visible bleeding or broken bones.)
The person is conscious and asks someone to call 911

If the person isn’t conscious and or can’t directly request that you call 911, it’s better to be safe than sorry. The longer you wait, the more life-threatening their injuries could become.

Document the Scene

Accidents happen in the blink of an eye, which doesn’t give you time to memorize all the details. That’s why it’s important to mentally note as much as you can and document it as quickly after the accident as possible.

You or someone else can snap photos, record license plate numbers and write down everything you recall about the accident. Even if you give a police report on the scene, you should write everything down for yourself in case you need to discuss the incident at a later date.

Get the Support You Need From a Minneapolis Bike Attorney

Wearing safety gear (reflective vests, proper lighting, cameras that record your ride) and following road rules are essential to biking safety. But sometimes you can do everything right and still be involved in an accident. If that’s the case, I’m here to help.

Attorney Daniel J. Brazil of Brazil Law Group is an experienced personal injury attorney with offices located in Uptown. He’s also a member of the Bike Law Network. He has a passion for the outdoors, especially cycling and climbing. Learn more about Dan and his practice by following him on Twitter (@LawDanielBrazil and #MplsBikeAttorney).