Fair Oaks Bicycle Safety Overview
I’m Ed Smith, a Fair Oaks personal injury lawyer. More and more people are taking up bicycle riding in Sacramento County and the rest of the state. Bicycle riding not only provides low-cost transportation for some but is a healthy source of exercise. However, when someone is involved in a bicycle accident caused by a negligent driver, the repercussions are frequently serious.
Ranking for Bicycle Accidents
Sacramento County saw 11,710 accidents resulting in deaths or injuries in 2014. There were 620 deaths and injuries of bicyclists with 80 of those accidents involving children 15 or younger. According to the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), Sacramento County placed second in the number of fatalities and injuries to minors. The state of California ranked high in general as the third friendliest state for bicyclists by the League of American Bicyclists.
Incidence of Bicycle Accidents
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that bicycle accidents accounted for only 2 percent of both fatalities and injuries in 2014. Common characteristics of the majority of bicycle accidents are:
- 71 percent of bicycle accidents resulting in fatalities occurred in urban locations.
- 88 percent of those who died in bicycle accidents were male.
- 21 percent of bike riders who died in accidents were legally drunk with a BAC level of 0.08 or higher.
- 20 percent of bike accident fatalities occurred between 6:00 in the evening and 9:00 in the evening.
How to Stay Safe
The AAA provides tips for adults and children on how to stay safe when cycling:
- Always wear a helmet. This can reduce your risk of a head injury by 85 percent.
- Don’t ride with two people sharing a bicycle unless it is designed that way.
- Look around. Make sure you scan the entire roadway. Avoid just looking down.
- Stay to the right. Don’t ride toward oncoming traffic.
- Focus on motorists, pedestrians and other cyclists. Avoid other distractions such as cell phones.
- Communicate with others on the road by using hand signals and your horn.
- Use lights on your bike at dawn, dusk and at night.
- Maintain your bike. This includes chains and brake pads.
- If you are unfamiliar with an area, look at a map ahead of time.
- Check out local laws before you ride.
- Wear bright colored clothing at night and make sure reflectors are visible.
Safety Equipment
Riding a bicycle whether for fun or commuting to work demands that you have working equipment that helps you stay safe.
- Gloves: These protect your hands from scrapes if you fall, and keep your hands warm as the weather gets colder.
- Mirrors: Mirrors let you visualize the road behind and to the sides of your bike. If you travel on urban roadways or even well-traveled trails, mirrors are a welcome item.
- Reflectors: Use Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) approved reflectors on the wheels and body of your bike as well as on your helmet. It aids in making you visible to motorists.
- Lights: Make sure your lights work. Use large front lights and blinking rear lights to ensure you are seen at night.
- Tires: Check the tread on your tires frequently. Verify which tires are required for your bike at a reputable bike shop in your area.
Injuries in a Bicycle Accident
The injuries you incur are dependent on the type of accident you have. Impact at higher speeds results in a higher incidence of traumatic injuries and deaths. Falling off a bike can result in upper extremity injury and fractured wrists. Other injuries common to bicycle accidents are facial lacerations, eye damage, spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury.
Fair Oaks Personal Injury Lawyers
I’m Ed Smith, a Fair Oaks Personal Injury Lawyer. If you have been injured in a bicycle accident or if a family member has been killed due to negligence, call me at (916) 921-6400 in the Fair Oaks area or (800) 404-5400 nationwide. I will offer you friendly and free advice.
I’ve helped Fair Oaks residents as well as those throughout Northern California with truck and pedestrian accidents and injuries from motorcycle crashes.
You can learn a lot about me and my law practice on Avvo, Yelp and Google.
I belong to the Million Dollars Advocates Forum. We are a group of trial attorneys who have garnered $1 million or more for clients in verdicts and settlements.
You can see how I resolved cases on my settlements and verdicts page.
Read more about personal injury here on AutoAccident.com.
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/en/bicycle-riders-riding-cycling-2071825/
:cd ds [cs 766] cv