In this crash type, the bicyclist is swerving to avoid an obstacle (perhaps a pothole, some debris, or a utility cover) and is hit by a passing motorist.
Many motorists complain that as they pass a cyclist they never know if they are going to suddenly swerve out in front of them. Two percent of bicycle/motor crashes are described this way, and another 3.9 percent of crashes involve a motorist driving into a bicyclist as they overtake pass them but no indication is given as to why the motorist hit the bicyclist. The majority of "motorist overtaking bicyclist" crashes involve adult bicyclists on rural two-lane roads. They frequently happen in the hours of darkness.
There are a great many reasons why a bicyclists may appear to suddenly swerve into the path of a passing motorist, most of which relate to the quality of the road surface they are riding on. Bicycle tires and wheels are narrower and weaker than on automobiles, and bicyclists typically do not have the benefit of suspension on their bikes. Consequently, surface irregularities such as potholes or raised utility covers that are a minor inconvenience or bump for a motorist have the potential to cause a puncture, break a wheel rim, or throw a rider from their bike. Not surprisingly, riders try to avoid hitting obstacles or dangers such as this. They will also try to avoid sand, gravel, stones, broken glass, nails, debris from vehicle crashes, drainage grates, railroad tracks, and other potential hazards. This can be hard enough in daylight hours - in darkness these hazards can often only be detected at the last second.
The potential solutions to these problems fall into four categories: remove the hazards, make potential hazards more visible through improved lighting, educate motorists to give cyclists more space when passing, and also discourage the use of alcohol before driving or cycling.
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