In Tacoma, Olympia, and nearby areas of Washington, winter means rain-slick pavement, early sunsets that shrink visibility, and the occasional surprise ice patch that can turn a routine commute into a traumatic experience. When a crash occurs between a bicycle and a car under these conditions, determining liability is essential for pursuing damages. The bicycle accident lawyers at Fuller & Fuller have decades of experience investigating these incidents, determining who caused the crash, and helping victims of serious injury pursue the damages they are owed.

Riding your bike during a South Sound winter takes grit. Between drizzly days, road spray, and leaf-slick bike lanes, conditions can quickly get dicey. Add to this visibility issues from glare, fogged windows, and weather events for motorists, and the risks of a collision can increase significantly. Tragically, these accidents often result in serious or fatal injuries for cyclists.

If you are injured in a bicycle accident where a driver is involved, it’s a good idea to have an experienced bicycle accident lawyer on your side. Washington follows a comparative fault system, meaning liability can be split between multiple parties. Insurers often utilize this system to minimize victim compensation. At Fuller & Fuller, we work to establish the facts of the case, helping to ensure fault is properly leveled and blame is placed where it truly belongs.

Talk to a Bicycle Accident Lawyer in Olympia or Tacoma for FREE

To schedule a FREE consultation with the bicycle accident lawyers at Fuller & Fuller, call us at 800-570-4878 today. We maintain offices in Tacoma and Olympia, and fight for injured cyclists throughout the region.

Leading Causes of Wintertime Bicycle Accidents

Top causes of bicycle accidents in the winter include:

Wet pavement and reduced traction: Wet paint stripes, utility covers, wooden bridge decks, and leaf piles can all get slick enough to send a tire sideways.
Ice, black ice, and freezing runoff: Shaded streets and low spots near curbs can quickly freeze, and the ice is not always visible.
Low light and visibility issues: Over half of all bicycle accidents occur in dusk, dawn, or nighttime conditions, when many cyclists in Washington are commuting to or from school and work.
Driver inattention: When drivers stare at their phones, eat or drink, or engage in any type of distracted driving behavior, the risk of a crash increases by 23 times.
Bad winter driving habits: Cars driving too fast or too slow for conditions, drivers engaged in dangerous maneuvering, and improper vehicle braking all place cyclists at risk.
Dangerous passing maneuvers: Washington law requires drivers give cyclists at least three feet when passing or moving into another lane. Winter narrows roads with puddles, slush, and debris, which can cut into this space.
Intersections and turning conflicts: Around 45% of accidents involving bicycles and cars occur at intersections. In winter, braking distance is longer, visibility can be worse, and drivers can easily misjudge how fast a cyclist is moving.
Road debris and neglected bike lanes: Leaves, gravel, broken pavement, hidden potholes, and pooled water collected in curbside lanes can all pose serious risks for cyclists, especially in already slick or low-light conditions.

When you are involved in a bicycle accident in the winter, identifying its cause allows for the proper establishment of fault. Unfortunately, a fair assessment of the collision may not be provided by insurance adjusters. At Fuller & Fuller, our bicycle accident lawyers work with investigative partners and expert witnesses from various fields to make sure no stone is left unturned, and the party responsible for your injuries is held to full account.

Who Can Be Held Liable for Bicycle Accidents in the Winter?

Parties who may be liable for injuries following a car and bike accident in Washington include:

A negligent driver. Drivers may be liable when they fail to yield, pass too closely, drive at an unsafe speed, drive distracted or impaired, open a car door into a cyclist’s path, or lose control due to reckless driving.
A city, county, or state agency. Public entities may be liable if road design or maintenance created an unreasonable hazard and timely steps were not taken to address it. This can include potholes or broken pavement, unmaintained bike lanes, poor drainage that allows for freezing, and construction zones without proper warnings.
A property or business owner. If the crash involved a privately maintained area, like a parking lot, driveway, or commercial complex, owners may be liable for failing to clear ice, fix lighting, or address hazards that put cyclists at risk.
A contractor. Winter brings road projects. If a contractor left gravel piles, uneven plates, or confusing lane shifts, they may share responsibility for a crash.

In Washington, bicyclists have the same rights as motorists. They also have the same responsibilities. This means that, depending on the circumstances, a cyclist might share liability for a crash. This includes instances where a cyclist does not follow the rules of the road, blows through a stop sign or signal, rides unpredictably into traffic, ignores required lighting at night, travels against traffic, or fails to ride as far right as practicable.

What If Liability Is Shared Between a Motorist and a Cyclist?

Washington follows a comparative fault system. If you are found liable for a portion of the crash, recovery will be reduced by your percentage of fault. You may still recover even if you were more at fault than the other party, so long as the other party was some percentage at fault. impact your final award. For example, if you are awarded $500,000 for a wintertime bicycle accident, but found to be 10% liable, your actual award would be $450,000.

Wintertime crashes can involve a lot of finger-pointing. Drivers might say you “came out of nowhere” or were riding irresponsibly, leading insurers and defense attorneys to try and shift blame onto you. Having an experienced and proven bicycle accident lawyer on your side helps to protect you against these tactics and preserve your right to seek full compensation.

How the Bicycle Accident Lawyers at Fuller & Fuller Can Help

Fuller & Fuller can help with liability issues after a wintertime bicycle accident through swift and thorough investigation. Attorneys Marya Fuller and John Mango are specialists in accident and injury law. They are also proven and established Washington personal injury lawyers, with decades of experience helping injured cyclists get justice.

We take time to calculate your damages based on medical bills, lost wages, future care needs, pain and suffering, and more, building each case to pursue maximum compensation. We don’t get paid unless you win your case. Most importantly, we treat clients like family. We provide straight answers, steady guidance, and a team that truly cares about how your crash has impacted you and those you love. Our goal is more than getting you a fair settlement, we aim to help you get your life back on track as well.

Contact Our Bicycle Accident Lawyers for FREE

If you were hurt in a bicycle accident, use our online contact form or call us today to schedule your confidential and FREE consultation at our Tacoma or Olympia office. We serve people living throughout the South Sound and in all nearby areas.