Safety Tips for Commuter Cyclists

If you’ve driven around California, you’ve probably noticed a high number of cyclists on the roads commuting to and from work. Not only is cycling good for your health, but it’s good for the environment. However, it’s not without its risks when it comes to personal safety. Collisions with other vehicles, for example, are one of the biggest health risks to cyclists and often happen because drivers are negligent and not paying attention.

After a collision, a common defense among drivers is they didn’t see the cyclist. Some judges and jurors might view this as a legitimate defense, while others won’t. The team at Solution Now Law Firm will fight on your behalf and push back against this common defense.

One of the best ways you can protect yourself both on the roads and against negligent drivers in court is to improve your visibility to drivers. Take a look at the following tips and suggestion that can help with this:

1. Appropriate Attire: Make sure whatever you’re wearing has reflectors and is brightly colored. Nowadays there are plenty of options available to cyclists to improve visibility that weren’t around years ago. For example, turn signal gloves. These not only improve your grip on the handlebars, but they are outfitted with arrows that flash, much like your car’s blinker. When you’re getting ready to make a right turn, hold up your right hand so drivers behind you can see the arrows, and vice versa for left-hand turns.
2. Proper Lighting System: In California, it’s actually the law to make sure your bike has a proper lighting system. Lights can be attached to wheels, pedals, and handlebars, for instance. The more lights, the better. Remember, you want to be as visible as possible so a driver can’t say they couldn’t see you in the event of a collision.
3. Bike Horn: Remember the little handlebar bell that was on your childhood bike? Modern-day bike horns are similar except they’re designed to be loud enough to alert other drivers that you’re nearby. When choosing a horn, make sure to find one loud enough to be heard over loud traffic.
4. Hands-free GPS: When you’re riding a bike in heavy traffic and trying to navigate potentially unfamiliar streets, the last thing you want to try and do is juggle a phone while figuring out the GPS. A hands-free GPS takes care of this. Most modern GPS devices for bikes attach directly to your bike’s handlebars, which is great because if you don’t touch your phone, drivers cannot accuse you of being negligent and causing an accident.

Contact an Attorney for Help

These are just a few of the tips and suggestions you can follow to make cycling around town safer. When you head out of the road, the best thing you can do to protect yourself is to make yourself as noticed as possible. If you do happen to get tangled in a collision, contact the skilled San Jose bicycle accident attorneys at Solution Now Law Firm a call immediately. We can help ensure you’re fairly represented in court and will fight tirelessly to get the justice you deserve. Call us today at 408-716-2331.

Resources:

leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=21201.

dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-education-and-safety/special-interest-driver-guides/bicyclists-pedestrians/