It’s spring which means more adults and kids are dusting off their bikes and hitting the roads. It’s also time to remember bicycle safety. Unfortunately, 783 bicyclists died in motor vehicle crashes in 2017 according to NATSA. These deaths are not just linked to kids, as the average age of a bicyclist’s death in 2017 was 47.
What can you do to keep yourself and family safe from bicycle crashes? Here are a few bicycle safety tips:
- Wear a helmet and make sure it fits properly;
- Ride a bike that fits you and works correctly. An ill fit or bad brakes make controlling a bike difficult;
- Wear reflective clothing and have lights and reflectors on your bike;
- Ride with the flow of traffic and obey all traffic laws such as stopping at stop signs;
- Don’t ride distracted! Don’t let texting or listening to music distract you from being aware of your ride and your surroundings.
If you are driving a car, remember to share the road as bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as people behind the wheel of a motor vehicle.
- Give cyclists room and don’t pass too closely
- Yield to bicyclists as you would another car and don’t underestimate their speed
- When turning right on red, look to your right and behind to avoid turning in front of a bicyclist traveling in the intersection
The experienced lawyers at Clark Perdue have seen the devastating effects of bicycle accidents.We are proud that Columbus has become much more bike friendly over the past few years and that laws, like the 3 foot rule, have been enacted to protected bicyclists. Even so, too many bicyclists are seriously injury or killed by inattentive drivers. Our bicycle accident lawyers take great pride in protecting the rights of bicyclists to use our roads.