Every year there are accidents involving bikes and cars and many of them could have been avoided by the cyclist taking proper care and having more regard for safety. We have put together some road bike safety tips to help you avoid being the victim of these types of accidents. When you are riding a bike you have no protection as you would in a car and are more susceptible to serious injury.
Wearing good, protective gear, including helmets, can go a long way to minimising injury but it is still, of course, much better to avoid accidents by paying particular care to safe riding habits. Teaching our children how to be safe while riding their bikes is vital and we should always make sure their bikes are properly maintained and they are equipped with the correct safety gear.
One of the top causes of accidents is lack of attention to the road, other vehicles and pedestrians, in other words, negligence, but even if we are paying full attention accidents can still happen. Learn the general rules for keeping yourself and your children safe and always keep them in mind when riding bikes on the roads.
Bike Riding Safety Tips
- You should always keep with the traffic flow and ride on the correct side of the road. make sure you know the traffic laws and follow them. Never jump the traffic lights, the rules apply to bikes as well as cars!
- In the summer its a good idea to wear a pair of good quality sun glasses or goggles to prevent temporary blindness from the glare of the sun
- Maintain a three foot gap between the curb and your bike and the same gap between you and other cars on the road. Swerving out of their way is not a good idea nor is being so close that an open car door can knock you off your bike!
- Always have good lighting on your bike when riding in the dark and wear reflective strips on your clothes. You should have both a front and a rear light and check them regularly as you don't want to be riding along an unlit road at night and your lights suddenly fail.
- Wear proper safety gear including an approved helmet made for bike riding. If you should be in an accident and your helmet receives a blow replace it. It may look fine but damage has been done and it could let you down disastrously just when its needed. Although riding in shorts may look tempting they won't be much protection if you fall off so its a good idea to wear long pants to protect your legs. Don't ride in flip flops or loose sandals, wear a pair of sneakers or closed shoes for adequate grip of the pedals.
Conclusion
Bike riding is fun for adults and kids but not without its dangers. Make sure you minimise the risk of accidents by being aware of these road bike safety tips and apply them always.
Image by Alesa Dam
