Riding a bicycle is a relaxing activity because it lets you feel the cool air and it also enables you to maintain your physical wellness. However, bicycling is also dangerous because one maneuvering mistake can cause you to crash into solid objects like walls and trees or to collide with motor-vehicles like cars and buses.
A bicycle-car collision may not end well, especially on the part of a cyclist, because his body is exposed to the forces of the impact. Fortunately, only 11 percent of all recorded bicycle accidents involved a car.
Statistics also show that around 59 percent of bicycle accidents did not involve other motorists aside from the bicyclist himself. The accident happens when the cyclist loses control of the vehicle, not because of his encounter with drivers.
It should also be noted that fatal bicycle accidents may also result from a bicyclist’s encounter with a pedestrian.
On August 18, 2011, it was reported that a math teacher in Visalia was killed in a bicycle accident in San Joaquin Valley, California.
According to California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers, the bicyclist identified as Scott Nelson, 41, was cycling west on Rocky Hill Road when he tried to pass 14-year-old Alvaro Cortez, who was running in front of him.
Unfortunately, the two collided when Cortez turned left. In this case, the accident did not involve another vehicle, but it ended up claiming the bicyclist’s life.
Prevention
Bicyclists can easily be injured whenever they are moving near motor-vehicles so they should follow these tips in order to avoid being involved in an accident:
- Avoid traveling at night. Remember, poor visibility can cause a driver to move towards the path of the bicycle.
- Maintain your bicycle. You should always check if your bike’s brakes are working properly or if its tires are not yet worn out to so that the vehicle will work properly while you are traveling.
- Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages. Alcohol can have negative effects on your body and it may prevent you from focusing on the road.
- Wear a yellow or neon shirt. It will enable other drivers to see you more clearly.
For more tips on how to avoid bicycle accidents, it is advisable that you call a skilled Los Angeles bicycle accident lawyer.
5 comments:
I am a cyclist myself and I have been into one or more minor accidents. But nothing that almost claimed my life, Thank God. Some people may not consider bicycle accidents as anything serious or life-threatening, but sometimes other factors might make it so. In any case, being careful is one of the most important prevention one can make.
Thanks for dropping by. Good to hear that it's just a minor accident.
I was kind of planning to get into bicycling to have a more healthy lifestyle and I think it's a very great way. I also know someone who died in a bicycle accident, he was only 33 years old. I don't know what really caused his accident. I think the accident preventions that you have posted here can greatly help those who are planning to make bicycling their sport like me. :)
I'm so sorry to hear that. But I hope you would still pursue this sport. It is a great way to stay fit despite some unseen dangers that may happen. Just make sure you take measures to stay safe.
I used to own a CMC and bicycle accidents were something we set up on a web site as the competition for all other RTA's were so fierce. We were massively surprised with the amount of calls we got as it seemed everyone else was concentrating on the car crashes. Not just that we did not realise how much vehicle drivers dislike cycle riders, Some so bad they knocked clients off on purpose. It made me think twice about my own son riding his bike to school.
Post a Comment