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When Is a Car Driver Responsible for Hitting a Cyclist?

Posted on November 26, 2025 in Bicycle Accidents

Leesburg, VA personal injury lawyer If you or someone you care about was hit by a car while riding your bike in 2025, you are probably wondering whether you can take legal action against the driver. Many times, the answer is yes. Virginia law holds drivers accountable when their negligence causes accidents with cyclists.

Cyclists have the same rights to use roads as cars and trucks, and drivers who violate those rights and cause harm are legally responsible for making it right. Our Leesburg, VA personal injury attorney is here to help you take action and recover the most compensation possible.

What Legal Duty Does a Driver Owe to Cyclists in Virginia?

Virginia law requires drivers to exercise reasonable care to avoid harming cyclists. This means following traffic laws, watching for bicycles, giving cyclists enough space, and operating vehicles safely around bikes.

Drivers must stay a safe distance away when passing cyclists. Virginia Code Section 46.2-839 requires drivers to give bicycles at least three feet of clearance on the left. Passing too close violates this law and creates liability when it causes an accident.

When making right turns, drivers must yield to cyclists in bike lanes or on the shoulder. Turning across a cyclist's path without checking mirrors and blind spots constitutes negligence. These right-hook accidents are common and almost always the driver's fault.

What Are Common Ways Virginia Drivers Cause Bicycle Accidents?

Cyclists on the road have the right of way, and drivers entering from private property must yield. Failing to yield the right of way causes many bicycle accidents. Opening car doors without checking for approaching cyclists, called dooring, also makes drivers liable.

Drivers who are texting, eating, adjusting music, or doing anything other than focusing on the road often fail to see cyclists until it is too late. Tragically, this kind of distracted driving kills and injures cyclists regularly.

Left turns or cutting lanes across traffic can cause cars to hit cyclists who are going straight. These accidents often cause severe injuries because of the direct impact between car and bicycle.

Whatever the cause of your bicycle accident, you deserve to recover compensation if it was someone else’s fault.

Can Cyclists Ever Be at Fault for Accidents with Cars?

Cyclists can share fault for accidents when they violate traffic laws or ride unsafely. Virginia follows contributory negligence under common law. This means that if you were even partially at fault for the accident, you cannot recover damages. This harsh rule makes it crucial to show the driver was entirely responsible.

Common cyclist errors that create liability problems include running red lights or stop signs, riding the wrong way on one-way streets, riding at night without lights, and making sudden movements into traffic without looking.

However, drivers often wrongly blame cyclists for accidents, and insurance companies look for any excuse to deny claims. Having a lawyer who fights for your rights ensures the driver's insurance does not unfairly pin fault on you.

Call a Loudoun County, VA Cyclist Injury Attorney Today

Our Leesburg, VA personal injury lawyer has recovered over 50 million dollars for clients and does not settle cases just because it is easier than going to court. When drivers injure cyclists, we fight aggressively for maximum compensation and take cases to trial when necessary to get the results our clients deserve.

Contact Whitlock Law at 703-576-5005 for a free consultation about your bicycle accident case.

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We serve personal injury clients throughout Maryland, including Rockville, Potomac, Olney, Aspen Hills, Damascus, Hagerstown, Middletown, Bethesda, Germantown, Kensington, Gaithersburg, Chevy Chase, Frederick, Urbana, Clarksburg, Greenbelt, Upper Marlboro, College Park, Beltsville, Largo, Laurel, Columbia, Ellicott City, Pikesville, Owings Mills, Towson, Reisterstown, Essex, Parkville, Randallstown, Linthicum Heights, Baltimore, Annapolis, Crofton, Severna Park, Glen Burnie, Westminster, Sykesville, Silver Spring, Langley Park, Riverdale Park, Wheaton, Glenmont, Highlandtown, Hyattsville, and Bowie.

We serve personal injury and criminal defense clients throughout Virginia, including Arlington, Chesapeake, Newport News, McLean, Herndon, Leesburg, Ashburn, Sterling, Reston, Richmond, Suffolk, Roanoke, Lynchburg, Centreville, Charlottesville, Annandale, Harrisonburg, Waynesboro, Vienna, Front Royal, Falls Church, Purcellville, Hampton, Portsmouth, Woodbridge, Gainesville, Fredericksburg, Glen Allen, Fairfax, Manassas, Alexandria, Norfolk.

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Cases Tried In:

Free Consultations
Maryland 301-565-1655 | Virginia 703-576-5005

When Is a Car Driver Responsible for Hitting a Cyclist?

What Legal Duty Does a Driver Owe to Cyclists in Virginia?

What Are Common Ways Virginia Drivers Cause Bicycle Accidents?

Can Cyclists Ever Be at Fault for Accidents with Cars?

Call a Loudoun County, VA Cyclist Injury Attorney Today

Recent Blog Posts

Categories

Archive

Request a Case Evaluation

Silver Spring Office

Bowie Office

Frederick Office

Chesapeake Office

Manassas Office

Glen Allen Office

Leesburg Office

Cases Tried In:

Free Consultations Maryland 301-565-1655 | Virginia 703-576-5005

When Is a Car Driver Responsible for Hitting a Cyclist?

What Legal Duty Does a Driver Owe to Cyclists in Virginia?

What Are Common Ways Virginia Drivers Cause Bicycle Accidents?

Can Cyclists Ever Be at Fault for Accidents with Cars?

Call a Loudoun County, VA Cyclist Injury Attorney Today

Recent Blog Posts

Categories

Archive

Request a Case Evaluation

Silver Spring Office

Bowie Office

Frederick Office

Chesapeake Office

Manassas Office

Glen Allen Office

Leesburg Office

Free Consultations
Maryland 301-565-1655 | Virginia 703-576-5005