Minnesota Injury Lawyer is Committed to Cycling and Bicycle Safety
MN Injury Attorney and Cyclist Fred Pritzker
Minnesota personal injury attorney Fred Pritzker is an avid cyclist, former racer and triathlete. He has won millions of dollars for people injured or killed while bicycling. He represents injured bicyclists in cases throughout Minnesota and the United States. He has appeared on the CBS Evening News, Fox’s “Geraldo Live,” KARE-TV, KSTP-TV and WCCO-TV to discuss product safety, serious injury litigation and wrongful death.
As part of Fred’s commitment to bicycling, his law firm, Pritzker Olsen, P.A., is a long-time sponsor of the Minnesota Junior Racing Club (www.mnjrc.com), one of the premier training and racing teams. The Club’s junior team (ages 12-18) and its U23 team (ages 19-23) competes in Minnesota and throughout the United States. Team coach, Dag Selander, is a retired professional rider and a former member of the Norwegian Olympic team.
The firm is proud to have its logo on the jerseys and jackets of this exceptional organization.
Fred with Bicycle Racing Team Sponsored by His Firm
Minneapolis Named Most Bike-Friendly City
Minneapolis is America’s most bike-friendly city, according to Bicycling magazine. The publication evaluated cities with a population of 100,000 or more based on the following criteria: separate bike traffic lanes, city bike racks and bike boulevards and whether the city has a vibrant “bike culture” including savvy bike shops and cyclists who “have the ear of local government.”
This is exciting news at Minneapolis-based Pritzker Olsen Attorneys. Founding attorney, Fred Pritzker, is a former cycling racer and avid supporter of both the health and environmental benefits of bike commuting and recreational cycling. He also understands the ins and outs of bike safety. A bike-friendly city means a bike-safe city.
Minnesota Bike Safety Lawyers: Bike Safety Information
Although Minnesota bike-vehicle accidents declined by 37 percent from 1994 to 2002, there are still about 1,000 crashes involving bicycles and motor vehicles in Minnesota each year, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Many of these involve serious bike accident injuries.
More than half of all bike crashes happen when motorists and cyclists are crossing paths toward each other or in a perpendicular fashion. However, the most severe accidents that result in cyclist death typically occur when the bike rider and vehicle are traveling in the same direction.
Bike Safely
- Always wear a helmet.
- Ride in the same direction as traffic; not against traffic.
- Obey traffic control signs and signals, just as motorists do.
- Use hand signals to communicate your movements.
- Use a headlight, reflectors and rear flashing light when cycling at night.
Find more bike safety info from the Minnesota DOT.
The complete list of Bicycling magazine’s bike-safe cities are as follows:
- Minneapolis
- Portland, Ore.
- Boulder, Colo.
- Seattle, Wash.
- Eugene, Ore.
- San Francisco, Calif.
- Madison, Wis.
- New York City
- Tucson, Ariz.
- Chicago, Ill.
Sources:
http://www.bicycling.com/topbikefriendlycities/home.html
http://www.sharetheroadmn.org
Easton EA30 Bicycle Stem Recall
Easton Sports of Scotts Valley, California, has recalled about 6,400 bicycles with EA30 bicycle stems.
The EA30 stems are black with white-and-gray graphics and feature a four-bolt stem face cap. “EA30” is printed on the stem. EA30 stems sold as aftermarket items are included in this recall.
The recalled bicycle EA30 bicycle stem can crack and cause the rider to lose control, posing a risk of serious injury if the rider falls.
The company received a report of a stem breaking, causing a minor injury to the rider.
Easton Sports is offering a replacement stem.
If you were injured on a bicycle with an Eastman EA30 bicycle stem, contact a Minnesota bicycle accident lawyer at 1-888-377-8900 (toll free), email Attorney Fred Pritzker or submit our online form for a free consultation. DO NOT RETURN OR DISCARD THE EASTMAN EA30 BICYCLE STEM INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT. IT CAN BE USED AS EVIDENCE.
For Minnesota car accident lawyer, Minnesota bicycle accident lawyer and concussion head injury information, please see our Minnesota injury lawyer website.
Rosemount Teenager Killed in MN Bicycle Accident
A 15-year-old boy was hit and killed by an SUV on May 30, 2009. The young man was from Rosemount, Minnesota. The accident happened on County Road 27 north of Eagle Lake in Blue Earth County.
This was the second fatal bicycle accident in Minnesota in May. On May 20, a bicyclist was killed when a semi-trailer turned and struck him at an intersection.
“I bike to work every day,” stated attorney Fred Pritzker of Pritzker Olsen, a Minnesota law firm that represents victims of bicycle accidents and their families. “I am personally aware of the dangers on the road, and that drivers just don’t look for bicyclists.”
Two of the major contributing factors in bicycle-motorist crashes are:
• Failure to yield the right of way
• Failure to see bicyclists due to inattentive driving
Pritzker Olsen urges all motorists to watch for bicyclists, especially children. We stand with Transportation Commissioner Tom Sorel, who stated. “We want motorists to recognize bicyclists as people, not obstructions. . .”
If you would like a free consultation with an attorney at Pritzker Olsen, please call 1-888-377-8900 or submit our form for a free consultation with an attorney.
For a LOOK Bumper Sticker: jon@outdoordesignllc.com
15 Tips for Bicycle Safety
Below are 15 tips for bicycle safety. Many of them are encoded in Minnesota law.
- OBEY TRAFFIC SIGNS AND SIGNALS- In order to be respected on the road you must also be respectful of the laws that dictate traffic.
- FOLLOW THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC- Never ride in the road against the flow of traffic. Ride in the same direction that the cars are driving.
- FOLLOW LANE MARKERS- Try to ride within the bike lane as much as possible. Never attempt to turn left from the right lane and vice versa.
- LEARN TO SCAN THE ROAD- Be aware of traffic all around you, even behind you. Be able to look behind you without swerving or falling. Some riders may use a rearview mirror for easier viewing.
- ALWAYS BE PREPARED TO BREAK- Allow extra time for rainy or wet conditions.
- KEEP YOUR BIKE IN GOOD REPAIR- Always make sure to check if your bike is functioning properly. Learn the necessities of bike repair such as changing a tire and checking the breaks.
- MAKE YOURSELF VISIBLE- When riding at night or other times when visibility is difficult, dress properly. Wear reflective clothing and put both a headlight and a rear light on your bicycle.
- LOOK OUT FOR ROAD HAZARDS- When riding a bike, always pay attention to gravel, train tracks, ice and other obstacles on the road.
- USE HAND SIGNALS- Before you move, use hand signals to communicate with drivers and other cyclists.
- NEVER WEAR HEADPHONES- Always be listening to what is going on around you when riding a bike.
- AVOID OPENING DOORS- When riding past a row of parked cars, always look for drivers exiting the car. Make sure to give opening doors ample space.
- STAY OUT OF THE BLIND SPOT- Never ride or stop in a car’s blind spot. Make sure the driver can see you at all times.
- DON’T PASS ON THE RIGHT- When passing a moving vehicle, pass on the left side. Motorists are not looking for a bike or car passing them on the right side.
- DON’T RIDE DOUBLE- Never allow another person to ride on your handlebars or on the back of your bike. Additional riders for a bike not properly outfitted such as a tandem make the bike unstable and unsafe.
- WEAR A HELMET- Always wear a helmet whenever riding a bicycle.