What to Do After a Bicycle Accident

Updated October 13, 2026 · 2 min read · 3 sources

Short answer

Get out of traffic, call 911 and get checked for injuries, especially head injuries. Get the driver's name, plate and insurance, photograph the scene, your bike and helmet, and find witnesses. The at-fault driver's insurance usually pays, and your own auto policy's uninsured motorist or medical payments coverage may cover you as a cyclist even though you were not in a car.

In most states bicycles are treated as vehicles, with the same rights to the road and many of the same duties as drivers. That framework shapes both fault and insurance after a crash.

At the scene

  1. Move yourself and the bike out of traffic if you can.
  2. Call 911. A police report is important because drivers often dispute what happened.
  3. Get the driver's name, license, plate and insurance details.
  4. Photograph the car, your bike, your helmet, the road, lane markings and signals.
  5. Get witness names; ask nearby businesses about cameras.
  6. Get medical care. Head and wrist injuries are common, and concussion symptoms can be delayed.

Keep the evidence

Do not repair or throw away your bike, helmet or damaged clothing. A cracked helmet shows the force of impact. Save bike computer or phone app ride data, and any camera footage you recorded.

Who pays a cyclist's injuries

Source When it applies
Driver's liability insurance Driver was at fault
Your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage Driver was uninsured, underinsured, or fled; many policies cover you as a cyclist
Your auto policy's MedPay or PIP In many states, covers you when hit by a car while cycling
Health insurance Pays medical bills; may seek repayment from a settlement
Homeowners or renters insurance Often covers a stolen or damaged bike

Common fault disputes

  • Dooring: a driver or passenger opens a door into your path.
  • Right hook: a driver passes and then turns right across you.
  • Left cross: an oncoming driver turns left in front of you.
  • Disputes over whether you were in the bike lane, had lights at night, or ran a signal.

Under comparative negligence, your own fault can reduce what you recover, and in a few states can bar recovery (Cornell LII). Check your state under state laws.

If the driver left

See what to do after a hit and run.

A personal injury lawyer can help if you were injured or the driver's insurer blames you.

Sources

  1. Cornell Law School LII: Negligence
  2. Cornell Law School LII: Comparative negligence
  3. Insurance Information Institute: Knowing what to do after an auto accident

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This article is general legal information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws differ by state and change over time; talk to a licensed attorney in your state about your situation.

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