If you commute using a bicycle, then you know how dangerous the road can be for you.
Driving in a vehicle is dangerous enough by itself, but riding a bike amplifies the risk of getting seriously injured. You don’t have any protection should an accident happen and you’re much smaller than the vehicles on the road.
With this in mind, safety precautions while cycling are essential. You need to be looking out for your safety at all times while biking.
Before you can do this effectively, you’ll need to know some of the best tips for keeping you safe on a bike. We’ll give you a few of them below to help you avoid a serious bike accident.
Wear Safety Equipment
One of the most important things you can do is to wear safety equipment.
This means using a properly-fitting helmet and gear that makes you easily noticeable.
With a good helmet, you’re protecting the most important part of your body. Head injuries are often serious and have permanent effects.
If you’re in a situation where you fall from your bike, you don’t want to land on your exposed head. Simply wearing a good helmet can prevent catastrophic head injuries.
The other aspect of safety equipment is the gear you wear. You need to wear reflective and brightly colored clothing to ensure that other drivers can see you.
Even in perfect driving conditions, a driver might not notice you on the side of the road. This is especially important at night when vision is reduced. With neon gear that reflects light, any driver will quickly notice you and be able to avoid hitting you.
Obey the Law
You also need to obey the law.
As a cyclist, it can be tempting to do things that people in cars cannot. Some bikers enjoy being treated like a car when it benefits them, but then turn around and act like a pedestrian when it’s convenient.
For example, imagine that you’re stopped at a red light. Say that the pedestrian crossing signal illuminates. In this situation, you might be tempted to cross the street via the crosswalk rather than waiting at the red light.
While this may seem harmless, it is dangerous and irritates other drivers. It also makes you unpredictable, which means that the cars on the road won’t know what you’re doing.
If you’re switching from pedestrian to car, then they won’t know when you might switch next. As a result, they might not see you the next time you get back on the road.
Even if it seems convenient to blur the lines of a traffic law, you are a vehicle and need to obey the rules of the road for your safety.
Communicate With Drivers
Another important safety tip is to communicate with other drivers.
This primarily includes two actions; signaling and making eye contact.
When you’re riding a bike, you lack the features of a car. One of these includes turn signals, meaning that you’ll need to physically indicate when you need to turn.
Turn signals are a crucial part of driving as they let other drivers know what you’re doing and gives them time to react accordingly. Lacking this feature on a bike puts you at a disadvantage because it’s more challenging to communicate with drivers.
Despite this, you should learn how to use hand signals (using your left hand) and make sure to use them whenever they’re relevant.
The other part of this is making eye contact. As a cyclist, you’re more vulnerable and harder to see than a vehicle. Because of this, you need the cars on the road to be aware of you.
One way to ensure this is happening is through making eye contact. If you meet a driver’s eyes, then you know that they know you’re there. This is particularly crucial to look for whenever considering a lane change.
While communication certainly isn’t easy as a biker, you need to do what you can to stay on the same page with the cars on the road.
Bike Defensively
Finally, you’ll want to bike defensively.
Just like with driving a car, you can alter the way that you approach driving. If you prioritize safety, then this means that you’ll be a defensive driver.
Defensive driving entails driving particularly safely, leaving extra space and carefully scanning the road to anticipate any hazards. While this typically applies to a car, you can also use this concept while on a bike.
As a cyclist, you’ll want to make sure that you aren’t taking any risks. Don’t ever expect a car to respect you or let you in, even if they should. Assume that any car might cause an accident with you and do what you can to prevent this from happening.
Part of being safe means protecting yourself and this is exactly what defensive biking is for.
Closing Thoughts
Bikers share the road with cars and this can often be a scary thought. If you get into an accident while on a bike, the likelihood of a serious injury is high.
Because of this, you need to be extra focused on bike safety. A few tips to start using include wearing safety equipment, obeying the law, communicating with drivers, and biking defensively.
Not every accident is avoidable, but taking a safety-first mindset will significantly lower your chances of encountering one. There are no situations where this matters more than when you’re on a bike as any mistake can be very costly.
Do yourself a huge favor and emphasize bike safety every time you ride!
If you commute using a bicycle, then you know how dangerous the road can be for you.
Driving in a vehicle is dangerous enough by itself, but riding a bike amplifies the risk of getting seriously injured. You don’t have any protection should an accident happen and you’re much smaller than the vehicles on the road.
With this in mind, safety precautions while cycling are essential. You need to be looking out for your safety at all times while biking.
Before you can do this effectively, you’ll need to know some of the best tips for keeping you safe on a bike. We’ll give you a few of them below to help you avoid a serious bike accident.
Wear Safety Equipment
One of the most important things you can do is to wear safety equipment.
This means using a properly-fitting helmet and gear that makes you easily noticeable.
With a good helmet, you’re protecting the most important part of your body. Head injuries are often serious and have permanent effects.
If you’re in a situation where you fall from your bike, you don’t want to land on your exposed head. Simply wearing a good helmet can prevent catastrophic head injuries.
The other aspect of safety equipment is the gear you wear. You need to wear reflective and brightly colored clothing to ensure that other drivers can see you.
Even in perfect driving conditions, a driver might not notice you on the side of the road. This is especially important at night when vision is reduced. With neon gear that reflects light, any driver will quickly notice you and be able to avoid hitting you.
Obey the Law
You also need to obey the law.
As a cyclist, it can be tempting to do things that people in cars cannot. Some bikers enjoy being treated like a car when it benefits them, but then turn around and act like a pedestrian when it’s convenient.
For example, imagine that you’re stopped at a red light. Say that the pedestrian crossing signal illuminates. In this situation, you might be tempted to cross the street via the crosswalk rather than waiting at the red light.
While this may seem harmless, it is dangerous and irritates other drivers. It also makes you unpredictable, which means that the cars on the road won’t know what you’re doing.
If you’re switching from pedestrian to car, then they won’t know when you might switch next. As a result, they might not see you the next time you get back on the road.
Even if it seems convenient to blur the lines of a traffic law, you are a vehicle and need to obey the rules of the road for your safety.
Communicate With Drivers
Another important safety tip is to communicate with other drivers.
This primarily includes two actions; signaling and making eye contact.
When you’re riding a bike, you lack the features of a car. One of these includes turn signals, meaning that you’ll need to physically indicate when you need to turn.
Turn signals are a crucial part of driving as they let other drivers know what you’re doing and gives them time to react accordingly. Lacking this feature on a bike puts you at a disadvantage because it’s more challenging to communicate with drivers.
Despite this, you should learn how to use hand signals (using your left hand) and make sure to use them whenever they’re relevant.
The other part of this is making eye contact. As a cyclist, you’re more vulnerable and harder to see than a vehicle. Because of this, you need the cars on the road to be aware of you.
One way to ensure this is happening is through making eye contact. If you meet a driver’s eyes, then you know that they know you’re there. This is particularly crucial to look for whenever considering a lane change.
While communication certainly isn’t easy as a biker, you need to do what you can to stay on the same page with the cars on the road.
Bike Defensively
Finally, you’ll want to bike defensively.
Just like with driving a car, you can alter the way that you approach driving. If you prioritize safety, then this means that you’ll be a defensive driver.
Defensive driving entails driving particularly safely, leaving extra space and carefully scanning the road to anticipate any hazards. While this typically applies to a car, you can also use this concept while on a bike.
As a cyclist, you’ll want to make sure that you aren’t taking any risks. Don’t ever expect a car to respect you or let you in, even if they should. Assume that any car might cause an accident with you and do what you can to prevent this from happening.
Part of being safe means protecting yourself and this is exactly what defensive biking is for.
Closing Thoughts
Bikers share the road with cars and this can often be a scary thought. If you get into an accident while on a bike, the likelihood of a serious injury is high.
Because of this, you need to be extra focused on bike safety. A few tips to start using include wearing safety equipment, obeying the law, communicating with drivers, and biking defensively.
Not every accident is avoidable, but taking a safety-first mindset will significantly lower your chances of encountering one. There are no situations where this matters more than when you’re on a bike as any mistake can be very costly.
Do yourself a huge favor and emphasize bike safety every time you ride!
If you commute using a bicycle, then you know how dangerous the road can be for you.
Driving in a vehicle is dangerous enough by itself, but riding a bike amplifies the risk of getting seriously injured. You don’t have any protection should an accident happen and you’re much smaller than the vehicles on the road.
With this in mind, safety precautions while cycling are essential. You need to be looking out for your safety at all times while biking.
Before you can do this effectively, you’ll need to know some of the best tips for keeping you safe on a bike. We’ll give you a few of them below to help you avoid a serious bike accident.
Wear Safety Equipment
One of the most important things you can do is to wear safety equipment.
This means using a properly-fitting helmet and gear that makes you easily noticeable.
With a good helmet, you’re protecting the most important part of your body. Head injuries are often serious and have permanent effects.
If you’re in a situation where you fall from your bike, you don’t want to land on your exposed head. Simply wearing a good helmet can prevent catastrophic head injuries.
The other aspect of safety equipment is the gear you wear. You need to wear reflective and brightly colored clothing to ensure that other drivers can see you.
Even in perfect driving conditions, a driver might not notice you on the side of the road. This is especially important at night when vision is reduced. With neon gear that reflects light, any driver will quickly notice you and be able to avoid hitting you.
Obey the Law
You also need to obey the law.
As a cyclist, it can be tempting to do things that people in cars cannot. Some bikers enjoy being treated like a car when it benefits them, but then turn around and act like a pedestrian when it’s convenient.
For example, imagine that you’re stopped at a red light. Say that the pedestrian crossing signal illuminates. In this situation, you might be tempted to cross the street via the crosswalk rather than waiting at the red light.
While this may seem harmless, it is dangerous and irritates other drivers. It also makes you unpredictable, which means that the cars on the road won’t know what you’re doing.
If you’re switching from pedestrian to car, then they won’t know when you might switch next. As a result, they might not see you the next time you get back on the road.
Even if it seems convenient to blur the lines of a traffic law, you are a vehicle and need to obey the rules of the road for your safety.
Communicate With Drivers
Another important safety tip is to communicate with other drivers.
This primarily includes two actions; signaling and making eye contact.
When you’re riding a bike, you lack the features of a car. One of these includes turn signals, meaning that you’ll need to physically indicate when you need to turn.
Turn signals are a crucial part of driving as they let other drivers know what you’re doing and gives them time to react accordingly. Lacking this feature on a bike puts you at a disadvantage because it’s more challenging to communicate with drivers.
Despite this, you should learn how to use hand signals (using your left hand) and make sure to use them whenever they’re relevant.
The other part of this is making eye contact. As a cyclist, you’re more vulnerable and harder to see than a vehicle. Because of this, you need the cars on the road to be aware of you.
One way to ensure this is happening is through making eye contact. If you meet a driver’s eyes, then you know that they know you’re there. This is particularly crucial to look for whenever considering a lane change.
While communication certainly isn’t easy as a biker, you need to do what you can to stay on the same page with the cars on the road.
Bike Defensively
Finally, you’ll want to bike defensively.
Just like with driving a car, you can alter the way that you approach driving. If you prioritize safety, then this means that you’ll be a defensive driver.
Defensive driving entails driving particularly safely, leaving extra space and carefully scanning the road to anticipate any hazards. While this typically applies to a car, you can also use this concept while on a bike.
As a cyclist, you’ll want to make sure that you aren’t taking any risks. Don’t ever expect a car to respect you or let you in, even if they should. Assume that any car might cause an accident with you and do what you can to prevent this from happening.
Part of being safe means protecting yourself and this is exactly what defensive biking is for.
Closing Thoughts
Bikers share the road with cars and this can often be a scary thought. If you get into an accident while on a bike, the likelihood of a serious injury is high.
Because of this, you need to be extra focused on bike safety. A few tips to start using include wearing safety equipment, obeying the law, communicating with drivers, and biking defensively.
Not every accident is avoidable, but taking a safety-first mindset will significantly lower your chances of encountering one. There are no situations where this matters more than when you’re on a bike as any mistake can be very costly.
Do yourself a huge favor and emphasize bike safety every time you ride!
