In California, cycling is a common form of transportation. However, cycling has some dangers. Bicycles don’t offer much safety for riders in the case of a collision with a car. Bicyclists frequently get significant injuries as a result of this. Our San Jose bicycle accident lawyers are also enthusiastic riders. You should use the safety advice listed below to improve your bike safety.
How Can Cycling Injuries Be Prevented?
Put on a helmet
The necessity of wearing protective gear cannot be overstated. Cycling should always be done while wearing a helmet. While a helmet may not shield the wearer against a concussion, it can shield the brain from more severe traumatic brain injuries. Bicyclists under the age of 18 in California are required by law to wear helmets.
Make Yourself More Visible
It could be challenging for drivers to see cyclists. To make yourself more visible, you should dress in bright colors (such as a colorful helmet). Both at night and during the day, luminous clothing and tape are useful. This tape increases your visibility by reflecting light off approaching automobiles.
Additionally, you may connect blinking lights to your clothes, shoes, or backpack. When cycling at night in California, certain lights and reflectors are required. In California, the equipment needed to ride a bicycle is listed in Vehicle Code Section 21201.
Take Care of Your Bike
Bicycles are susceptible to deterioration. You may lower your chance of a cycling accident by doing proper bicycle maintenance. Maintenance on bicycles may comprise, but is not limited to:
- Checking the tread and air pressure on your tires.
- Inspecting the brakes.
- Securing any unsecured nuts or bolts.
Abide by the law of the road
Under California’s sharing-the-road legislation, bicycles generally have the same rights and obligations as drivers of motor vehicles. For instance, unless you have to “take the lane,” you should ride as far to the right of the flow of traffic as you can. Additionally, always stop completely at stop signs. You should also use bicycle lanes wherever they are available.
Be Reliable to Drivers
You should consider how to let drivers know what you intend to do. At junctions, make eye contact and signal with your hands before turning. To make sure drivers can see you, you can also wave at them.
Ride Far From Vehicle Doors
Car doors opening in front of bicycles can result in dooring incidents. By putting a door’s width between yourself and parked cars and acting as though all car doors may suddenly open in front of you, you can lessen the likelihood of a dooring mishap.
Be Aware of Road Hazards
Compared to other drivers, bikers are more vulnerable to traffic dangers. As a result, it’s critical to pay attention to any potential road risks. Typical risks include:
- Potholes
- Debris
- Slick surfaces, such as spills or puddles.
- Construction
- Shoddy construction.
What to Do Following a Bike Accident?
If you’ve been struck by a car or were involved in a bike accident, call the police to the scene. Report the collision to the police, who will then contact help if medical treatment is required.
It is crucial to gather evidence, whether it be tangible proof or eyewitness accounts. For your bike accident claim, you need proof. A skilled bike accident lawyer will frequently hire an expert or experts to recreate the collision.
It’s crucial to get the contact information of any witnesses to the collision. Gather your own information even if the cops talk with witnesses there.
Save your helmet, clothing, and bike in its damaged state. If your case goes to trial, it could be used as strong evidence. Experts are sometimes required to reconstruct the incident in contested liability cases in order to determine who was responsible for the collision. The bicycle’s condition and the damage it received might be very important to the expert’s assessment. It frequently attests to the cyclist’s lack of carelessness.
It’s crucial to discuss your case with a knowledgeable bicycle accident attorney after a collision. Given that a bike has little chance of outpacing a car that weighs, on average, 4,000 pounds, cyclists frequently sustain serious injuries.
Final thoughts
You may prevent a bicycle accident by following these safety recommendations for cyclists. Accidents can still occur as a result of motor vehicle carelessness, such as speeding, drunk driving, and inattentive driving. In the event of a bike accident, you ought to speak with a knowledgeable bike accident attorney San Jose right once.