words Al Woods
Riding a bicycle is one of the healthiest activities a person can enjoy. It’s also rather fun and it allows you to enjoy the city while riding. However, cycling also poses certain injury risks.
This is especially true when you are riding your bicycle through traffic. Streets during rush hour can be a very dangerous place for a cyclist. This is when most of the accidents and injuries occur. How can a bicycle rider protect themselves from those accidents?
This is a very important question every cyclist should ask themselves. However, the answer is not that simple. Yes, having good riding skills and knowing the rules will help you avoid accidents, but you also have to know where the threat is. This is why today we are going to talk about the most common causes of bicycle accidents. Here’s what they are.
Car Drivers Changing Lanes Without Looking
One of the most common ways cyclists get injured in traffic is when a car driver decides to change lanes without looking in the rear-view mirror first. This is why they drive directly into the cyclist, causing the person to fall off of their bicycle and get injured. Determining the guilty part in these situations may look like a simple task, but it’s not always a walk in the park. If you get involved in an accident like this, it’s always a good thing to consult an experienced lawyer. However, your health should be your number one priority.
Therefore, try to ride your bicycle like the car drivers on the road are trying to get you. Being careful and defensive when biking will definitely save you from painful injuries. In some cases, it can even save your life.
Drivers Opening Doors In Front Of Cyclists
This sounds like something you would see in a comedy film, but it’s happening in the streets on a daily basis. The main reason why this is happening is, of course, negligence. Drivers tend to forget that cyclists are equal members of the traffic and they simply don’t look before opening their doors. Fortunately, these situations are less scary than the ones we talked about previously. However, hitting a car door while riding your bicycle can cause a lot of painful and unpleasant injuries. Therefore, if you see a car pulling over, make sure to slow down or change lanes. You never know when the driver may open their door. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Cars Coming Out Of A Junction
A lot of car drivers don’t check both sides of the road when joining the main road. This is exactly why they don’t see bicycle riders coming at them from the side. In this scenario, the car driver can’t be hurt. Cyclists, on the other hand, can suffer severe injuries. This is one of the most common examples of bicycle accidents caused by negligent drivers.
Reckless Drivers
Just because a person has a driver’s license doesn’t mean they are willing to drive by the book or know how to drive properly. Reckless drivers are one of the main reasons why riding a bicycle through traffic can be dangerous. When you encounter a reckless driver, knowing the rules of traffic won’t save you from suffering painful injuries. As a cyclist, you can’t anticipate the behavior of a negligent driver. The thing you can do, however, is to keep a safe distance and ride defensively while you’re on the road. This will give you enough time to react and avoid an accident.
Bad Roads
Car drivers are usually the main cause of bicycle accidents. However, there are other factors as well. For example, bad roads can also contribute to nasty bicycle accidents. This scenario doesn’t involve car drivers or any other member of traffic. It’s simple, a bad or a poorly maintained road can cause a cyclist to injure themselves. Therefore, if you love riding your bicycle in secluded areas of your city, make sure to be careful.
Cyclist Running A Stop Sign
Bicycle riders can make mistakes, too. One of the most common ones is, definitely, running a stop sign. The cyclist doesn’t see or hear a vehicle on the road and they assume it’s safe to simply run a stop sign. This is a mistake that can cost you your life. Therefore, always top at the stop sign. Even when there’s no one on the road. Being cautious will keep you healthy.
Riding your bicycle through traffic can be very unpredictable and dangerous. However, if you know your rules and ride carefully, you will be able to enjoy cycling through your beautiful town.
