Slippery When Wet Pavement Bicycle Accidents & Injuries
If you have ever ridden a bicycle on wet pavement, you have probably experienced it. You are pedaling along when you encounter a pavement stripe. It might be yellow or white. It might be a fog line, lane marker, or stop line. It might be on the right of the lane, in the middle or on the left. Whatever color or placement, most pavement striping is slippery, especiallywhen it is wet. And when something on the road is slippery, only badthings can happen to a bicyclist.
A slippery pavement stripe means someone has done something wrong. Government standards control how pavement markings are applied and maintained. Most pavement markings are applied wet. Before they dry (usually less than five minutes), the person applying the pavement marking is supposed to put a sand-like material on top. When the marking dries, the line has a texture like sandpaper. This prevents the marking from being slippery. Dixon Law Office founder, G. Grant Dixon III, knows the rules regarding pavement markings very well. “Slippery pavement markings were either not put down correctly or not maintained by the city,” he said. “Pavement markings are only ‘slippery when wet’ if when someone fails to do their job.”
For bicyclists, slippery pavement markings are particularly dangerous. Balancing on two wheels does not allow a bicyclist to react to a slippery pavement line. If you fall, road rash is usually the least of your problems. “Many times the injuries to bicyclists are catastrophic,” Grant continued. Making matters worse, there is no way for a bicyclist to avoid these markings or even know which markings are defective. Grant said, “good pavement marking companies put down pavement markings correctly. Good governments make sure the stripes are maintained in good condition.”
If you or a loved one is hurt slipping on a pavement marking, call us at Dixon Law Office. Often the stripes are slippery because they are not properly installed or maintained. We can hold the company responsible and get you the compensation you deserve. We are here to help.
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