New laws in Washington State to protect bicyclists

Starting this year, Washington has implemented a new state law to protect bicyclists and pedestrians. This law, SB 5723, requires that motorcyclists follow new regulations while on the road.

Gaining an understanding of the new aspects of this law and how it plans to make the road safer for all parties is important. Violating these rules may have severe repercussions.

The stipulations of the new law

• Bicyclists have the option to ride in a dedicated right turn lane even if they intend to go straight.
• When a road has multiple lanes going in the same direction, a motorist must make a left lane change to legally pass a bicyclist or pedestrian,
• When a road has only one lane going in the same direction, the motorcyclist must make sure that there are at least three feet of space from the bicyclist or pedestrian.

Safety rules in place

There are rules to decrease injuries that bicyclists may face after an accident. It is important to follow these common laws:

• Always wear a helmet.
• Use hand signals before turning.
• Use light and reflectors when riding on public roadways at night.

If there is motorcyclist negligence

When you are a bicyclist, your safety partly depends on the safe driving of all motor vehicles on the road, including motorcycles. If you have suffered an injury due to any of the following roadside occurrences with a motorcyclist, you may have a case for compensation:

• Bicyclist sideswiped by a passing motorcyclist
• Bicyclist rear-ended by a motorcyclist
• The motorcyclist takes a left turn in front of a bicyclist

If you were in an accident

If you were a bicyclist injured in an accident with a motorcyclist due to no fault of your own, it is vital to know how to proceed. Make sure to take photographs and get witness statements at the scene to support your case. It is also important to prepare medical records of the injuries sustained from the accident for your claim.