Bicycle Safety Tips–Part 1

Bicycle Safety Tips #1

For bicycle enthusiasts, we’ve blogged previously about the importance of roadway safety, a responsibility shared by the person on the bike as well as motorists in cars and trucks, especially now in the midst of  the warm weather and vacation season. When they are out and about on Indiana roads, bicyclists should never assume that motorists see them. Bike defensively and alertly to avoid getting into a vehicle accident.

We’ve also noted that wearing a helmet all the time should be a priority for cyclists to minimize the potentially devastating consequences of a road accident. The Indiana State Police says that your helmet is as much a part of your bicycle as the handlebars or tires.

To avoid bike/car traffic accidents, the ISP also offers some specific recommendations for bike safety. These include the following:

• Your helmet should meet the safety standards established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
• Always ride with the traffic
• Know your local traffic laws (e.g., some Indiana towns require lights on the front and back of the bike to improve night visibility)
• Obey traffic lights, signs, speed limits, and lane markings
• Signal in advance of a turn, using the proper hand signals
• Yield to pedestrians and other vehicles as appropriate
• Make sure your bike is the correct size and that it gets regular maintenance
• Never wear headphones while riding a bike

We’ll continue this discussion in a follow-up posting.