In cities across the United States, drivers may notice that a separate narrow lane has been added to the side of the road. These designated bike lanes, sometimes marked with a bicycle symbol to indicate their purpose, are preventing car and bicycle accidents across the country and saving people money they would have spent on hospital bills and injury attorneys. for car accidents.

Many people’s excuses for not making the healthier and greener choice of bicycling instead of driving include safety concerns and not having a smooth, continuous path to ride on. Many Americans who own bicycles simply view them as recreational toys to be taken to the park for riding and exercise.

However, the bicycle is slowly regaining its place as a viable transportation device. Thanks to the addition of bike lanes in many major cities, more people have been commuting to and from work, school, and the grocery store on two wheels.

Studies have shown that the number of bicycle accidents decreases as the number of cyclists on the road increases. The lanes encourage cycling on major roads, which has been shown to decrease car traffic. The increased presence of cyclists forces those who choose to drive cars to take the lanes seriously and give way to the most fragile vehicle.

In the Netherlands, for example, the car-bicycle accident rate is about 26 times lower than in the United States. This is true despite the fact that about 25 percent of its population commutes by bike, while only 1 percent of our population does. Because? The Netherlands, though a much smaller area, contains more than 18,000 miles of segregated bike lanes.

The lanes encourage more cycling and less driving, a change that is generally beneficial. More biking and less driving means less traffic, less pollution, more exercise, more safety, and less money one would potentially spend on gas, maintenance, and a car accident lawyer.

But some people have had problems with the lanes. In New York, ironically one of the first US cities to establish mandatory bike lanes, protesters argue that the lanes take away their rights as motor vehicle operators by forcing them to share the road. Other arguments against lanes include the fact that they eliminate precious curbside parking spots, cut through loading zones originally designated for delivery trucks, and sometimes actually cause more traffic due to narrow lanes.

As frustrating as the adjustment period can be, studies have shown that equipping cities with bike-friendly roads severely reduces the incidence of car-bicycle crashes and injuries. The protection of life and the physical safety of people outweighs the minor inconveniences posed by rails.

In the end, most drivers would probably rather hold on and yield to bicyclists than have to deal with a car accident injury lawyer after accidentally knocking over a bicyclist on a non-bicycle road.