After a car hits a cyclist, the first question from every insurance adjuster is the same: whose fault was it. In Cambridge, where car and bike traffic share tight streets constantly, that question gets litigated more than almost anywhere else in the state. Massachusetts law is more specific about a driver’s duties toward cyclists than most people realize, and knowing the actual rules changes the conversation with an insurer considerably.
The Four-Foot Rule
Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 90, Section 14 requires a driver passing a cyclist to leave a safe distance of not less than four feet and to pass at a reasonable speed. If a driver clips a cyclist while passing too closely, that is a direct violation of state law and strong evidence the driver, not the cyclist, caused the crash.
Right Hook Crashes
A right hook happens when a driver passes a cyclist, then immediately turns right across the cyclist’s path, often at an intersection or driveway. Massachusetts law addresses this scenario directly: a driver who has just overtaken a cyclist cannot make a right turn unless it can be done at a safe distance and a reasonable speed. This is one of the most common crash patterns at Cambridge intersections where a bike lane runs alongside a travel lane, since a driver who does not fully clear the cyclist before turning creates exactly the collision the statute is written to prevent.
Being told you share the blame for a crash the driver caused? Get a free case review from a Cambridge bicycle accident attorney. Call 617-683-1983.
Left Cross Crashes
A left cross happens when a driver turning left across an intersection misjudges, or simply does not see, an oncoming cyclist. Massachusetts law requires a driver turning left to yield to any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction, including a bicycle, if that bicycle is in the intersection or close enough to be an immediate hazard. The statute goes further and states that it is not a valid defense for a driver to claim the cyclist was to the right of other traffic. In plain terms, a driver cannot argue their way out of a left cross simply because the cyclist was riding where cyclists are supposed to ride.
Dooring
Massachusetts law also prohibits opening a car door into moving traffic, including cyclists, unless it is reasonably safe to do so. A dooring violation carries only a modest fine on its own, but in a personal injury case it is clear, often undisputed evidence that the driver or passenger, not the cyclist, created the hazard. Dooring crashes are especially common on streets with parked cars next to a bike lane, which describes a lot of Cambridge.
Distracted Driving and the Hands-Free Law
Massachusetts has required hands-free phone use while driving since 2020. A driver who was holding a phone at the time of the crash is not just breaking a traffic law. Phone records and witness accounts of phone use can become important evidence supporting a negligence claim.
Comparative Negligence: The 51 Percent Rule
Massachusetts follows a modified comparative negligence rule. A cyclist can recover damages as long as they are less than 51 percent at fault, with the recovery reduced by their own percentage of fault. A cyclist found 20 percent responsible on a $100,000 claim would recover $80,000. Cross that 51 percent line, however, and recovery is barred entirely. This is why insurers spend so much energy trying to shift even a small percentage of blame onto the cyclist. It is not really about who was more at fault. It is about finding any argument, however thin, that reduces or eliminates the payout.
Why Fault Disputes Happen Anyway
Even with clear statutory rules, insurers routinely argue that a cyclist was riding too fast, was not visible enough, or was somewhere other than the exact spot they should have been. Police reports do not always capture every detail correctly at the scene, and a driver’s version of events tends to arrive fully formed while a cyclist is still in an ambulance. Wondering about specific Cambridge locations where these disputes come up often? Our overview of the city’s highest-risk streets covers the intersections that generate the most fault fights.
If a driver’s insurance company is already suggesting you share the blame, it is worth having someone on your side who knows these statutes as well as they do. Call 617-683-1983 for a free consultation.
