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Summer is finally in full force, which means it's time to take those bicycles out from wherever you stored them and go for a nice ride in the sun. For many of us, riding a bike often includes navigating through city streets, which is why I have compiled a list of some tips and advice to help you minimize the risk of a bicycle accident.
In 2008, bicycle accidents took 716 lives nationwide and injured over 52,000 people. Bicycle safety is often overlooked, as it accounts for only 2% of total auto-related fatalities, but nevertheless, is something that with certain precautions can be cut down much further. Riding a bicycle down the streets in crowded neighborhoods can be very tricky, and living in Seattle, where seemingly everybody rides bikes, I know this firsthand. So without further ado, here is my list of 5 tips that can substantially decrease your risk of being in a bicycle accident:
1. Stay off the sidewalk: It is always tempting to avoid traffic by riding on the sidewalk, especially when there is no bicycle lane. But no matter what the circumstances are, it is always legal and much safer to ride on the street. As a bicyclist, your speed can be easily hidden if you are on the sidewalk, because drivers tend to only expect and look for pedestrians. A very common bicycle accident that can occur when a bicyclist is on the sidewalk happens when a driver on the other side of the street is making a left hand turn at an intersection. Imagine you are that driver. You look for oncoming traffic to see if you are clear to go, and then quickly check the crosswalk for pedestrians. A bicyclist that is cruising down the sidewalk toward the crosswalk would be virtually invisible to you, and it is truly an accident waiting to happen. 64% of bicycle accidents happen at an intersection, and this is a big reason why. Stay on the street, because that is where oncoming traffic can see you.
2. I may sound like your mother here, but wear a helmet!!: 22 states currently have some sort of bicycle helmet laws aimed at young kids and teenagers. While no state has a law requiring adults to wear helmets, many cities and counties do. This is for good reason. As a personal injury lawyer, I have seen first-hand, just how different the medical repercussions can be between someone wearing a helmet, and someone who is not. Recent studies show that 85% of head injuries in bicycle accidents can be reduced by wearing a helmet. As human beings, accidents happen, so it is best to be prepared for the worst and protect yourself just in case.
3. Ride with traffic: While it may sometimes be convenient or even more comfortable for you, riding against traffic is always a terrible idea. Simply put, reaction time is drastically cut down when you and a car are approaching each other. Riding with the traffic means that cars will be coming at you from behind, which gives them time to make adjustments to you if necessary. Once again, there are numerous problems that this can cause at intersections. One very common bicycle accident happens when a bicyclist is going against traffic, and a car is turning right from an intersecting street. When turning right onto a street, many drivers will only look left at oncoming traffic to find an opening in which to enter. If you are going against traffic, you would be coming from the other side, and the driver would likely not even look to see if you were there. In a rush to quickly turn onto the street, an accident is very likely if you are crossing the intersection at the same time.
4. Get both a headlight and a flashing backlight: In most states, it is illegal to ride a bicycle at night without a headlight and flashing backlight. This law is absolutely common sense, and can save lives if followed. Even if you have night-vision goggles and can see just fine, the cars on the road cannot. Nighttime driving is riskier in and of itself, but if bicyclists are on the road without lights, the risk is increased exponentially. Try to make yourself as noticeable as possible to help people in cars avoid hitting you.
5. Ride slow and avoid blind spots: This one is pretty obvious, but is something that can get away from you if you lose focus. Riding slow on city streets is just plain smart because there are potholes and debris to be avoided. It is also important because biking slower can give cars on the road more of an opportunity to see you and veer around you if need be. Avoiding blind spots on a bike is extremely important as well, because nobody looks for bikes in their blind spot. Before turning, most cars will make a quick check for another vehicle in their blind spot and if they don't see something noticeable, then they will go. Try to stay in front of and behind cars, especially at stoplights and you can avoid blind spot collisions.
Jason Epstein is an Personal Injury attorney in Seattle, Washington. He is the founder of Straight Talk Law and the author of several books including The Truth About Washington Auto Accidents. More information can be found at StraightTalkLaw.com