Staying Safe During Biking Season
Spring is well underway, and with the mild weather comes an immense influx of bicyclists. Biking is a great way to get out and enjoy the beautiful season and to do your part for the environment, but it also calls for extra safety precautions. Keeping basic safety tips in mind when you are on your bike can go a long way toward helping you stay safe out there. If a motorist leaves you injured in a bicycle accident, you need the professional legal counsel of an experienced Central Texas personal injury attorney.
Bike Safety
When it comes to biking safely, there are some basic safety tips that you should keep at the forefront of your thoughts:
Always Wear a Protective Helmet
While there is no statewide law regarding the use of protective bike helmets in Texas, wearing such a helmet is always the safest option. When you are on your bike, nothing other than your helmet comes between you and the impact of an accident. Make it your personal, nonnegotiable habit to wear a protective helmet whenever you hit the road on your bike.
Know the Rules of the Road and Employ Hand Signals
When you take to the road on your bike, you are at the distinct disadvantage of being much slower than traffic’s natural flow. Knowing the rules of the road and following them will aid your safe passage. Employing appropriate hand signals will also help alert traffic to your intentions.
Use Bike Lanes Whenever They Are Available
If there is a bike lane on your route, use it. If your route has no bike lane, but there is an alternate route that does, choose the alternate route. Bike lanes are put there to help keep you out of traffic’s flow, and they offer a much safer alternative to mixing directly with traffic.
Wear Highly Visible Clothing
When you are on your bike, you have a much less significant profile than other vehicles do, and motorists may fail to see you in their midst. Wearing bright, reflective clothing helps ensure that motorists recognize you. For the same reason, it is also recommended that you employ a bike headlight and a taillight.
Ride on the Right Side of the Road
Always ride with the flow of traffic, which helps decrease your risk of being injured in a deadly head-on collision.
Remain Aware of Your Surroundings
The better you know the area you are cycling in, the safer you will be. This is especially true in highly trafficked areas. Familiarizing yourself with the safest route from point A to point B can go a long way toward helping you arrive alive.