Safety Tips for Cycling In A City

To avoid horrific bicycle accidents in the city, you can apply safety tips that protect you while you are cycling around town. Bicyclists need to give their full attention to their surroundings and notice the behavior of car drivers around them. In addition to keeping their eyes on the road, bicyclists should also be aware of pedestrians and make sure that they are following traffic laws to avoid causing serious injuries. Bicyclists can plan their route ahead of time and find less trafficked routes to have fewer surprises on their journey. Here are some great approaches that can help you improve your experience when cycling in the city safely: 

Follow All Rules Of The Road

As a bicyclist cycling near a road or in traffic, you will want to make sure you are following all the rules of the road and the flow of traffic. Like cars, bicyclists have to ride with one bike per lane unless in a bike lane. They also should avoid impeding traffic if they are driving slower than the speed of traffic and stay toward the sides of the road. Like car drivers, bicyclists must come to complete stops at stop signs and other traffic devices. 

Wear A Helmet and Protective Gear

Bicyclists should make an effort to wear protective gear to help protect them from distracted drivers. You can wear bright clothing that is flashy and easy to see. Equip your bicycle with reflectors and lights so that other car drivers can pick up on your presence immediately. You can also incorporate reflectors on your clothes so that your body glows at night. You should always wear a helmet. This way, if you are ever thrown off your bicycle, you are protected from the impact of the ground, preventing you from receiving terrible head injuries. Like motorcycle riders, you can also consider wearing thick clothing so that you suffer from less abrasive injuries when you fall on the ground. 

Avoid Blind Spots 

Car drivers have large blind spots in the back and sides of their vehicles. Bicyclists shouldn’t sit in the blind spots of cars and should make sure that they stay in an area visible to car drivers. This is often possible if you see the driver in their side and rearview mirrors. Also, if the driver can see you with their eyes and their face is visible to you, then they should be able to see you too. When you stay out of a car driver’s blind spot, this prevents them from accidentally bumping into you whenever they change lanes. 

Cycle During The Day

A majority of car accidents occur at night time due to poor visibility when the sun has set. Other factors that make cycling at night more dangerous include increased speeding and alcohol abuse. It is difficult to see smaller vehicles, such as bicycles, at night. This is why it is much safer for bicyclists to travel during the day than at night. 

Look At Eyes and Tires

Sometimes it can be difficult to predict how car drivers will traverse roads, especially when car drivers neglect to use their indicators. When car drivers fail to signal and become unpredictable on the road, it is a good idea to look at their eyes and tires. The direction of their eyes and which way the tires are pointing are an indicator of where the car is headed. Make preemptive movements based on what you see car drivers doing to prevent unpredictable crashes from occurring. 


Make Room 

You will always need a buffer space between you and car drivers. Leave ample room on each side of you, and also never tailgate cars. Weaving through heavy traffic is also not safe and can surprise drivers at the worst moments. When on the side of the road, try to stay as far as you can from traffic but give yourself room away from the curb. This protects you, car drivers, and pedestrians. 

What If I Had A Recent Bicycle Injury?

If you were recently injured because of a car driver and need help, speak to a bicycle accident attorney today. They can review your case and discuss the next steps. 

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