More and more Americans are cycling to work as not only does it keep you healthy it also saves money on gas. But how dangerous is it to cycle rather than drive or walk?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2013, 743 bicyclists were killed in crashes with motor vehicles and 48,000 were injured when riding a bike, although only a small percentage are actually recorded by the police so the figures could be much higher.

Although the numbers are around two percent of the total number of people involved in fatal traffic crashes or injured, the number of cyclists on the road is only one percent. Nearly a third of the injuries are caused when bicyclists are hit by cars, followed by a fall from a bicycle with no other vehicle involved, an accident caused by a road in disrepair, rider error, a collision and finally four percent caused when a dog ran out.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in an auto accident please call the Birmingham accident attorneys of Wiggins Childs Pantazis Fisher Goldfarb, LLC, at (205) 858-8445 or contact us online today to schedule your free consultation.

Generally speaking there are two types of rollover accidents, “tripped” and “untripped” rolls. A tripped roll is a result of a force that causes the vehicle to roll and untripped happens when a vehicle is top heavy and the drivers over corrects the steering causing the vehicle to roll.

What can you do to prevent a rollover? Knowing your vehicle and how it behaves will certainly prepare you. Some SUVs can be more liable to “untripped” rolls because their center of gravity is higher from the ground and if you are aware of this you can tailor your driving style accordingly; take the corner slow and brake in good time. You may also like to consider taking your car to a large parking lot and test how your vehicle responds by driving in close circles. Remember to keep your speed low as you don’t want to cause a rollover! You are just getting a feel as to how the car behaves in these sorts of maneuver.

Keeping any distractions to a minimum especially your cell phone, eating, or anything else that make you inattentive to the road conditions and other road users will help minimize your chance of being involved in a rollover.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in an auto accident please call the Birmingham accident attorneys of Wiggins Childs Pantazis Fisher Goldfarb, LLC, at (205) 858-8445 or contact us online today to schedule your free consultation.