Bikes & Vehicles – Two Completely Different Types of Transportation

Under the law in most places in North America, bikes are treated the same way as motor vehicles. These laws are generally meant to promote cyclists as equal users of the road.  However, cyclists and drivers can never really be considered equals on the road. A bike and a vehicle are two completely different vehicles and cyclists are vulnerable and exposed compared to drivers.

Because of this vulnerability, most cyclists exercise extreme caution when riding in traffic. Yet every year, hundreds of cyclists are injured or killed by motor vehicles in collisions usually occurring while either the bike or the motor vehicle is making a turn or passing and by doorings.

Ontario’s No-Fault Auto Insurance & Cyclist Injuries

Under Ontario’s no-fault auto insurance system, if you are injured as a cyclist, you can make a claim under your own motor vehicle insurance policy. If you don’t have insurance, you can make the claim against the driver’s insurance. If the driver is unknown or is uninsured, a claim can be made to Ontario’s Motor Vehicle Accident Claim Fund (MVACF).

Van Dyke Law Office has helped many cyclists get just compensation for injuries sustained in accidents with motor vehicles, and we are strong advocates for victims in these cases.