Los Angeles is a city known for its street art, billboards and colorful murals. While these displays add character to the city, they can also cause serious distractions for drivers.
In busy urban areas, even a brief moment of looking away from the road can lead to a collision. When a driver becomes distracted by something outside the vehicle, a cyclist is often the one who suffers the most.
Why are roadside distractions such a problem?
Visual distractions like murals, flashing advertisements or digital billboards can draw a driver’s attention away from traffic. These distractions are especially common in areas where cyclists often share the road with cars. This includes areas such as Venice, Downtown Los Angeles or Silver Lake. When a driver looks away to admire a mural or read a billboard, they may not see a cyclist crossing the street or riding in a bike lane.
How do these distractions factor into a personal injury claim?
In a bicycle accident claim, pointing to these types of distractions can help prove that the driver was not paying attention. Evidence of visual distractions near the crash scene can support the argument that the driver failed to focus on the road. This can become a key factor when showing that the driver’s inattention caused the accident.
How can you prove that the driver was distracted?
Photos of the intersection or road where the crash happened can show the presence of visual distractions. Witness statements or surveillance footage may also show the driver looking away from the road. This type of evidence can help strengthen a claim by making it clear that the driver had the chance to see the cyclist but chose to focus on something else.
Cyclists in Los Angeles already face many risks from heavy traffic and narrow roads. Statistics show that 77% of bicycle fatalities on LA County roads took place on multi-lane roads. These are also the areas where advertisers and street artists tend to focus their attention-grabbing efforts. A successful bicycle accident claim may depend on proving that the driver allowed these types of outside distractions to interfere with safe driving.
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