NJ Bicycle Accident Claim Help: Who Pays and What Our Crash Data Shows

Where and when do bicycle crashes happen in NJ?

Of 5,288 NJ bicycle crashes in 2023 and 2024, most were on municipal streets (2,715, or 51.3%) and in May to October (3,509, or 66.4%).

By the hour, 3 pm to 6 pm is the busiest window. Shore highways matter too: see Route 36 cyclist and pedestrian deaths.

By road, 1,753 crashes were on county roads and 762 on state highways. The split at junctions is close to even: 2,762 at an intersection (52.2%) and 2,512 away from one.

3,850 crashes (72.8%) happened in daylight. 4,308 hurt or killed someone and 980 did not; together they injured 4,394 people.

A town or county road defect points to a public body with its own short notice clock, explained in suing the town over a pothole or dangerous road.¹

Which NJ counties and towns have the most bike crashes?

Hudson County leads with 845 bicycle crashes in two years, ahead of Bergen and Essex. Jersey City had more than any other town. Shore towns differ, as our page on Atlantic City walker and cyclist crashes shows.

Each town page breaks its crashes down by road and hour: see Jersey City crash data, Newark crash data and the Hudson County crash hub. Walkers face a similar pattern, set out in our New Jersey pedestrian crash data.

Does PIP pay regardless of fault if you were on a bike?

Yes. Your household auto policy's PIP pays your medical bills first, even though you were on a bicycle and not in a car.

DOBI says PIP pays medical expenses "no matter who caused the auto accident." If you chose your health insurer as primary, the order changes, as explained in PIP and health insurance in New Jersey.

No car insurance in your household, as with many Hudson County riders? The Unsatisfied Claim and Judgment Fund, run by NJ PLIGA, may pay medical expense benefits under its own eligibility rules.²

Limits, deductibles and co-pays are covered in PIP limits and medical bills in New Jersey.

What happens if the driver who hit your bike is at fault?

You can claim against the driver's bodily injury liability coverage for what PIP does not pay, such as pain and suffering.

• How much: the only appeals damages figure for a cyclist is in how much pedestrians and cyclists get after a crash.
• Pain and suffering: your own policy's lawsuit option sets the rules, compared in New Jersey's no-fault and lawsuit options.
• Driver fled or uninsured: see NJ hit and run claim help and uninsured motorist claims in NJ.
• Bike repair: a separate property claim, covered in our property damage claim guide.

How much room must a driver give a bicycle in NJ?

Under the Safe Passing Law a driver must change lanes when safe, or else leave at least 4 feet, or else slow to 25 mph and be ready to stop.

The slow-down option never permits a pass that endangers you. A sideswipe during a pass is the core of many bike claims, so note the vehicle's lane, speed and position as precisely as you can.³

Can you still claim if you were partly at fault on the bike?

Yes, if your share is 50 percent or less; your damages shrink by that share. Above that, the driver's insurer owes you nothing for the crash.⁴

How to challenge the percentage an insurer assigns is in appealing the insurer's fault percentage. How courts split fault when a cyclist was struck at night is in our NJ pedestrian and cyclist appeals.

What should you keep after a bike crash?

Keep what only a bike crash leaves behind:

1. The bicycle and damaged gear (helmet, lights, phone mount), unrepaired.
2. Any ride app or bike computer log showing speed and route.
3. The police case number, so you can request the report through our NJ crash report guide.

Photos, witnesses and cameras are covered in evidence that helps prove fault. If your e-bike's class or motor is questioned, see how an e-bike changes the claim.

How long do you have to file a bicycle accident claim in NJ?

Two years to sue the driver; 90 days to notify a town, county or state body over a road defect such as a pothole.

Every other clock is listed in our New Jersey accident deadlines guide. For every claim type after a crash, start at the New Jersey accident help hub.