Bicycling, as an alternative mode of transit, has become increasingly popular. It doesn’t produce pollution, and it is a healthy way to get exercise. However, it can be quite hazardous to travel by bicycle on roads shared with motor vehicles. In 2015, 45,000 bicycle accidents were reported, and sadly this number included a 12% increase in fatalities. Most serious bicycle accidents involve a cyclist having an encounter with a negligent or reckless motor vehicle driver. In these accidents, the cyclist generally suffers all of the damage and can be severely injured or killed.

Ridesharing has also become increasingly popular. Purchasing and maintaining a car can be quite expensive, especially considering most people’s cars spend most of their time parked motionless. Freelance gigs like Uber and Lyft allow people to use their personal vehicles to give other people rides. It is difficult to find exact statistics on how often rideshare vehicles are involved in accidents. Uber claims their own internal data indicate their rideshare drivers rarely get into accidents. Still, some researchers claim that ridesharing has increased the number of fatal accidents by two to three percent.

During a rideshare, the driver is using their own personal vehicle, so you might think the driver’s insurance would cover the damage. However, most car insurance policies specifically exclude coverage if the car is being used for business purposes. Fortunately, Uber and Lyft both have insurance policies that cover damages incurred if one of their drivers causes an accident. If you are injured in a rideshare accident caused by someone else, that person’s insurance will cover your damages.

In 2018 and 2019, dockless electric scooters from companies like Bird, Lime, JUMP, and Gotcha were widely deployed on city streets and sidewalks in cities across Alabama.

The roll out of these electric scooter-share services were immediately met with excitement by those looking for a convenient and inexpensive transportation option in busy urban areas. However, the deployment of these scooters, which can be unlocked with a mobile app and typically cost $1.00 to unlock and .20 per mile ridden, was also met with a rash of accidents and injuries.

Scooter riders have a responsibility to share the road with other vehicles, not ride on sidewalks meant for pedestrians, and to ride the vehicles responsibly. This is often an issue, however, since many riders lack proper training, practice, and experience riding these vehicles. Because of the placement of these scooters, riders are often intoxicated, or are forced to share the road during times of high-traffic. There are numerous causes of scooter crashes, and multiple parties could be at fault, including:

• The rider
• Other motorists
• The scooter companies
• Third party maintenance companies
• The manufacturer
• And others

Airplanes are, compared to other modes of transportation, extremely safe; however, unlike car crashes, most airplane accidents result in fatalities. In 2017, in the US, 347 people were killed in 209 airplane crashes.

Commercial pilots and airlines are required by law to carry liability insurance in the case of an accident, but private airlines and pilots are not. Cases in which people are injured through no fault of their own by a privately owned and piloted airplane are legally complex, and require an experienced aviation accident attorney to navigate.

We all have a legal obligation (referred to as a duty of care) to avoid any behaviors or errors that could cause another person harm. When a person is reckless, careless, or otherwise negligent, others could suffer injuries ranging from mild to catastrophic. Some common injuries caused by negligence include:

• Scrapes, cuts, and lacerations
• Broken or fractured bones
• Soft tissue injuries
• Neck injuries (including whiplash)
• Back injuries
• Spine and spinal cord injuries (including partial or total paralysis)
• Internal organ damage
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)