Personal Injury Lawyer

Whether you are commuting, exercising, or just enjoying the outdoors, if you find yourself cycling on roadways there is always a certain degree of risk involved, but we certainly can’t let risks stop us. 

Regardless of your reasons for riding, these tips will help keep you safe the next time you’re out for a ride. As a personal injury lawyer can support, being mindful and taking measures to ride safely can reduce your risk for being in a car vs. bicycle accident, helping to avoid a potentially long and costly road to recovery.

Make yourself visible. 

By taking extra measures to make yourself more visible while riding a bike, the earlier drivers will see you allowing for more time to make driving decisions. A few ways to make you and your bike more visible when riding on or near roads are:

• Light-colored clothing
• Reflective clothing
• Flashing bike lights on front & rear of your ride.
• Reflectors on handlebars, seat post, pedals, and wheel spokes.

With the countless lighting options that are available, lighting up your bike can be fun. Color changing LED lights will set you apart in dark conditions and help ensure you are seen by motorists on the road.

Helmets. Wear one!

Riding a bike without a helmet is dangerous! Accidents have a way of happening when least expected. In the moments when we feel we are in complete control, the bike can just slip from under us and suddenly find ourselves heading for the path of a vehicle. 

Aside from helmets being the most essential piece of safety gear to wear, many municipalities require cyclists to sport a helmet by law. Failing to wear a helmet in these areas could result in an embarrassing bike traffic stop, tickets, and fines. We don’t want that, do we?

Plan your route.

It is good practice to research new routes, especially if you are unfamiliar with road conditions. Some roads are more dangerous than others for cyclists. By exploring the route on a Maps application beforehand, you’ll be able to plan by identifying potentially hazardous sections and rerouting accordingly. By doing this first, you will be able to ensure you maximize your comfort and that you aren’t riding beyond your level of skill.

Be aware of your surroundings.

As a cyclist, you must be hyper-aware, especially when sharing the road with motorists. Practice safely executing moves such as the “over-shoulder” look, and the quick left-right safety check. You may also benefit from handle bar mirrors, or helmet mirrors, which can be especially helpful when riding near cars. The earlier you are aware of potential vehicle and roadway hazards, the more time you’ll have to react. As cyclists, we must err on the side of caution and assume that other vehicles do not see us.

Maintain your bicycle and conduct regular safety checks.

By regularly maintaining your bicycle components, you can help reduce the chance of a sudden and unexpected failure. Additionally, before every ride it is best practice to conduct a quick safety check. Check to ensure your wheels are fastened properly and that everything else is in working order. A sudden failure of load bearing parts at high speeds can result in a nasty accident scenario.

We hope that these tips help keep you safe on your next ride. Safe travels! Thanks to Davis & Johnson Law Office    for their expertise in bicycle safety and personal injury prevention.