Posts Tagged ‘bike accident’
Being Safe on Your Bicycle
Bicycles are a great source of fun and are a healthy and green means of transportation. They are incredibly useful, but can also be dangerous. There are a lot of different ways that you can be injured on a bicycle. Unfortunately, it is often the result of someone doing something stupid or not paying attention.
Some of the most common bike accidents are from being hit by cars. When a cyclist rides on the road, vehicles should give some space and share the road. Unfortunately, bikes get hit even when they are in bike lanes. This is usually because the driver of a car does not see the cyclist.
One of the most dangerous places for a bicycle is an intersection. Traffic from the oncoming lane that is turning left produces the highest number of bicycle car collisions. The usual response from the driver is, “I never even saw them.” This is because of a few things.
Bicycles are very small when compared to cars. However, they are not difficult to see. What drivers most often look for when they drive is anything that could be a danger to them. Since a bicycle does not pose a threat to a car, the driver may not register it. This leads to an incredibly dangerous situation.
However, cars are not the only things that cause bicycle accidents. While it may seem strange, animals cause far more accidents than you might think. These accidents can often be just as dangerous as being hit by a car. Usually, something scares the animal and it runs out in front of the bicycle. With no time to react, the cyclist hits the animal. A small animal may not seem like much, but hitting a ten to twenty five pound weight is what this situation equates to. This is enough stopping power to send the cyclist over the handle bars and onto the ground.
Any accident is dangerous. You could end up with broken bones, road rash, and traumatic brain injury. While broken bones can be set and road rash can heal over time, traumatic brain injury cannot always be fixed. This is why it is so important to wear a helmet.
If you would like to know more about bicycle safety, and what to expect from accidents, you can find the information by clicking here.
Joseph Devine
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