Protecting Yourself as a Bicyclist
With all the hustle and bustle of cars on the roadway these days, it may seem like a great alternative to get around on two unmotorized wheels instead (especially if your destination isn’t too far). However, yearly injury accident statistics continually show that bicycle riding is actually a scary option for pedestrians. Here are examples of ways bicyclists can get seriously injured when venturing out on their next ride:
Bad road conditions.
If the city doesn’t have a layout that is designed for drivers and pedestrians to share the road, then bike collisions are going to happen. Most roads are not designed to consider protecting bicyclists, so riders have to be constantly wary of their surroundings as they are forced to share the same lane as motor vehicles.
Lack of driver attention.
To drive safely, one must be alert to the many changing factors that the road presents, such as other cars, pedestrians, lights, stop signs, speed limits, and more. Bicycles are much smaller than your average vehicle, so riders can easily be overlooked. It only takes a few seconds or less for an accident to occur because the driver’s focus was pulled away.
Dooring from parked cars.
Dooring is the term used when a driver gets out of their vehicle after parking only to have a bicyclist riding by at that very same moment. This causes the cyclist to crash directly into the opened car door because they don’t have enough time to stop. Dooring is more likely to happen in urban areas where street parking is rampant.
As a bicycle accident lawyer from Brandy Austin Law Firm, PLLC would advise bicyclists, that it’s important to be aware of the dangers of using a bike as transportation, so you can take the proper precaution to protect yourself.
