How To Prevent Bicycle Accident Injuries

• May 20, 2015
• Bicycle Accidents
• Car Accidents
• Personal Injury

Summer is the perfect time for fun activities such as riding your bike. However it is important to remember that a bicycle is a vehicle and that many bicycle-related crashes result in serious injury.

At the law firm of Goodman Acker P.C., our Detroit bicycle accident lawyers see the outcomes of these tragic accidents and want to share with you some very important safety tips that will help protect you and your family from being involved in a bicycle-related incident.

First and foremost, before you use your bicycle you want to make sure it is ready to ride. This includes checking the tires to make sure they are properly inflated and testing your brake levers to ensure that they apply enough pressure to stop your bike. Always remember to inspect your bike to make sure all parts are secure and working properly.

Once you have looked over your bicycle and have ensured it is ready to ride, you will want to adjust your bicycle to fit. Your body's position on the bike will affect you how ride. The best way to fit your bicycle is to simply stand over your bicycle. There should be 1 to 2 inches between you and the top tube (bar) if using a road bike and 3 to 4 inches if a mountain bicycle. The seat height should be adjusted to allow a slight bend at the knee when the leg is fully extended.

Once you are ready to ride it is important that you follow these safety tips to prevent accident injuries: These tips are:

• Wear a Properly Fitted Bicycle Helmet. Bike helmets are 85%-88% effective in eliminating or reducing fatalities and head injuries. It is not only important that a helmet is worn, but more importantly that the helmet fits properly. The helmet should always sit level on the head with the chin straps tight enough to allow only one finger between the strap and neck - without choking. The helmet should not rock from side to side and all straps should lie flat, not be twisted.


• See and Be Seen. Whether daytime, dawn, dusk, or at night, you need to be seen by others. Wearing white has not been shown to make you more visible. Rather, always wear neon, fluorescent, or other bright colors when riding day or night. Also wear something that reflects light, such as reflective tape or markings, or flashing lights. Remember, just because you can see a driver doesn't mean the driver can see you.


• Control Your Bike. Always ride with at least one hand on the handlebars. Carry books and other items in a bicycle carrier or backpack if you need to.


• Watch for and Avoid Road Hazards. Be on the lookout for hazards such as potholes, broken glass, and gravel. All these hazards can cause a crash. If you are riding with friends and you are in the lead, yell out and point to the hazard to alert the riders behind you.bic


• Avoid Riding at Night. It is far more dangerous to ride at night than during the day because you are harder for others to see. If you have to ride at night, wear something that makes you more easily seen by others. Make sure you have reflectors on the front and rear of your bike (white lights on the front and red rear reflectors are required by law in many States), in addition to reflectors on your tires, so others can see you.


• Go with the Traffic Flow - Always ride on the right in the same direction as other vehicles. Go with the flow - not against it. And be predictable. Ride in a straight line, not in and out of cars with clear signals when you are going to turn and stop.

Following these step can help prevent bicycle accident injuries, however if you or a family member has been seriously injured in a bicycle accident, you need an experienced attorney on your side. At the law firm of Goodman Acker P.C., our attorneys help victims injured in a bike accident.

If you or your loved one has a question regarding bicycle accident injuries call Goodman Acker P.C. today at (248) 286-8100. Our expert attorneys will be happy to help you and answer any questions that you may have.