Understanding San Jose’s Better Bike Plan 2025

Over the last decade, San Jose has consistently ranked as the top city for bicycle crashes, injuries, and fatalities in Santa Clara County. However, in October 2020, the San Jose City Council approved what is known as the Better Bike Plan 2025 in effort to help reduce the city’s high volume of bike accidents.  

What is the Better Bike Plan 2025? 

The Better Bike Plan 2025 was established as a five-year plan with the goal of making bicycling convenient and safe for San Jose residents of all ages and abilities throughout the city. The plan is intended to accomplish this through the construction of new bike lanes, improving the city’s existing bike lanes, and implementing legal policies and programs supporting safe and convenient bicycling throughout the city.

What are the Better Bike Plan’s Goals? 

Better Bike Plan 2025 was implemented with the goal of constructing 500 miles worth of bike lanes, 400 miles of on-street lanes and 100 miles of off-road lanes, for San Jose residents. The three major goals of implementing these lanes as part of the Better Bike Plan 2025 were outlined by the San Jose City Council as: 

• Safety. Increasing safety for all San Jose bicyclists by creating new bike lanes and policies that correlate with Vision Zero San Jose. 
• Equity. Applying the Better Bike Plan 2025 in a way that serves all of San Jose’s communities, not just some. 
• Mode Shift. Promote bicycling by encouraging residents to increase the number of trips they make by bicycling throughout San Jose. 

Recently, San Jose has made major strides following the implementation of the Better Bike Plan 2025, which was a continuation of Bike Plan 2020. Today, there are over 400 miles of on-street bikeways and over 60 miles of off-street bikeways in San Jose. With the implementation of these, San Jose has seen an increase in safe bike activity, alongside a decrease in overall collisions.

Common Causes of San Jose Bicycle Accidents 

There are various factors that can contribute to bike accidents in San Jose. Over the course of their experience, our San Jose bike accident attorneys have identified the following most common causes of San Jose bicycle accidents: 

• Driver inattentiveness 
• Distracted driving 
• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol (DUI) 
• A car turning directly in front of a bicyclist 
• A vehicle exiting a driveway or parking lot 
• Motorists driving in bike lanes 
• Drivers opening their doors without checking for oncoming cyclists 

Understanding these common accident causes can help you to be aware and protect yourself while riding a bike through San Jose. However, negligent motorists can’t always be avoided, and unfortunately do cause accidents to happen. When they do, they deserve to be held responsible. If you’ve been wrongfully injured while riding your bike, call our team of trusted bike accident lawyers at The Barnes Firm at (800) 800-0000. 

Dangerous Areas for San Jose Cyclists

A 2020 study of San Jose’s high bike accident volume and busiest roadways helped researchers pinpoint some of the most dangerous areas for cyclists in the Silicon Valley. This study determined the following as the most dangerous areas for San Jose cyclists: 

• South Market and San Fernando Street 
• East Santa Clara and South Fourth Street 
• Santa Clara Street and St. John Street 
• East San Fernando and South Fourth Street 
• Park Boulevard and Page Mill Road 
• Arastradero Road and Foothill Expressway 
• West El Camino Real and Stanford Avenue 
• Waverly Street and University Avenue 

How Can I Be Safe While Riding a Bike in San Jose?

When riding a bike in San Jose, there are certain precautions you can take to ensure your own safety. If you are riding a bike, you should always: 

• Wear a helmet. California law mandates that anyone aged 18 and under wears a helmet while operating a bicycle, scooter, skateboard, or roller skates. However, it is wise for anyone to wear a helmet while riding a bike, as they can help prevent concussions, TBIs, and neck injuries in the event of a collision. 
• Wear bright, reflective clothing. This helps motorists to see you clearly, especially in low-light conditions when vision becomes compromised.  
• Use hand signals. Utilize hand signals to indicate when you’re turning, crossing, or to show drivers what direction you’re going. 
• Maintain alertness and situational awareness. Always being on the lookout for motorists, obstacles, and potential road hazards is critical to keeping yourself safe while riding. 
• Obey all traffic laws and signage. Posted signs and California traffic laws are in place to keep everyone safe, so be sure to obey them. 

Common Injuries Sustained from Bicycle Accidents

Despite following the safety measures mentioned earlier, negligent motorists can still cause bike accidents to happen. When they do, they often result in severe injuries to the cyclist. Our team of San Jose bike accident lawyers have identified the following most common bike accident injuries: 

• Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) 
• Concussions 
• Broken bones and fractures 
• Spinal cord injuries 
• Internal bleeding 
• Bruising 
• Road rash 
• Severe cuts and wounds 
• Dislocated joints 
• Internal organ damage 
• Torn muscles and ligaments 
• And more… 

At The Barnes Firm, our bicycle accident lawyers are here to help you on the road to recovery after a San Jose bike crash. Call us today at (800) 800-0000 to speak with an attorney who is prepared to help you get the best result possible. 

After a Bike Accident, Call The Barnes Firm 

If you or a loved one has been injured by a negligent motorist’s actions, you may be entitled to compensation. While you focus on recovering from your injuries, allow The Barnes Firm to take on your case. Our team of San Jose bicycle accident lawyers have over 100 years of combined experience successfully handling cases for bicycle accident victims, always ensuring that they get the best result possible. Call us today at (800) 800-0000 to discover the true value of your case. 

Richard Barnes – President of The Barnes Firm

Richard Barnes: “As President of The Barnes Firm, I have dedicated my career to achieving justice in hundreds of cases for the victims of injuries caused through the fault of others. Additionally, I have been honored to have been elected Best Lawyer and a Super Lawyer”

Years of Experience: 30+ years
LinkedIn Profile: Richard Barnes