Riding your bike is a wonderful healthy habit for both kids and adults, and an easy way to get around without spending money on gas or burning fossil fuels. However, it can also be a risky activity when you put yourself at the mercy of other people on the road.
Don’t let fear keep you from getting behind those handlebar, however. Make sure you do everything you can to keep yourself and your family members safe when riding your bikes. Don’t let your kids go riding without remembering these safety tips!
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Wear a Helmet
The most crucial step in bike safety is to always put on a helmet. Sometimes, no matter how careful and attentive you are, you’re going to get into a bike accident. Whether something distracts you or another bike, or a car comes out of nowhere and hits you before you can respond, there’s always the chance of something going wrong.
Wearing a helmet helps protect your head from serious injury when accidents occur. Make sure your helmet fits properly as well.
Be Defensive on the Road
No one else is going to put your safety first, so it’s up to you to make it a priority. Instead of relying on drivers seeing and avoiding you, stay alert at all times about the different vehicles around you and stay on the defensive. Be proactive in getting out of the way of passing cars, and be ready to react and move as the vehicles around you move.
“Distracted or aggressive driving and road hazards pose the biggest risks to cyclists on the road,” says Randall Sevenish, an Indiana bicycle accident attorney. “By staying on the defensive, you can identify and avoid these challenges before you get hurt.”
Follow the Rules
If you’re going to bike on the road and not on the sidewalk, you need to obey all the rules of the road as if you were driving a car. This shows respect to the drivers that you’re sharing the road with, but it also decreases the chance of an accident by making your behavior more predictable.
Drivers who see you on the road need to have a reasonable idea of how you’re going to respond to different situations. If you go straight through a stop sign or red light or immediately pass a car on the right when it slows down, you could be putting yourself in danger.
Keep Your Bike in Good Condition
Problems with your bike itself can also cause a sudden bicycle accident. Make sure you’re keeping up with regular maintenance on your bike, and look it over to make sure it’s in good shape before getting on the road. Catching a flat tire or faulty chain early on can help you dodge a possible disaster later.
With just a little extra time and effort before riding, and by staying alert and conscientious on the road, you go a long way toward keeping you and your family safe while riding bikes. It’s a small sacrifice to make when it’s the health of you and your loved ones at stake.
