Whether you’ve just hopped on your bicycle after years of not using it at all or if you’re a rider that hits the road every single day you can benefit from driving your bike defensively. Those who drive defensively are more likely to protect themselves from getting into a Connecticut bicycle accident.
Riding your bike along busy streets can be dangerous and can lead to accidents if you are not focused and paying attention to the road around you. When you’re riding your bike you are in a much more defenseless position than those who are driving a four wheel vehicle. You are vulnerable to drivers who are speeding, distracted behind the wheel or just generally reckless when driving their vehicle because they believe they don’t have to pay close attention to the road ahead. This can be deadly.
As a biker it is imperative that you adopt a defensive driving strategy that can help you stay alert and aware and keep you from getting into an accident that could result in an injury or fatality. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has some recommendations for how to stay safe when riding a bike which are the keys to defensive driving. First and most importantly you need to be focused and alert. You should also follow some of these items to make sure you are a fully defensive driver;
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Always ride your bike with the flow of traffic, that is in the same direction as you are traveling.
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Act like you are driving a car by making sure to obey all street signs, signals and road markings, both the signs and signals that apply only to you and those that apply to drivers in a motorized vehicle.
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Avoid distracted riding of all kinds. You should never ride your bike while listening to music or texting using your cellphone. You should always have two hands on your handlebars and keep your attention on the road.
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Ride your bike like the other people who are on the road do not see you and assume that wherever you ride the drivers do not see you.
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Be looking ahead to anticipate any changes in the road. Look for potholes, construction hazards, pebbles, grates and even train tracks and make sure you approach these hazards safely.
You may have heard the term defensive driving and thought that it only applied to those that are behind the wheel of a motorized vehicle, but that is not the case. According to the NHTSA if you want to avoid a Connecticut bicycle accident you should apply many of the same principles of defensive driving for a vehicle to being a bike rider. Of course no amount of defensive driving will guarantee a safe ride, it certainly is a series of important steps you can take to keep yourself safe on the road.
However you ride your bike, accidents do happen and if you get into an accident where you are injured you may wish to speak with an attorney who is experienced in handling this type of case. Contact our office and one of our attorneys will speak with you and review your case. After a review, our attorney may work with you to protect your long-term interests.
