Top Folsom Bicycle Safety Tips
I’m Ed Smith, a Folsom bicycle accident attorney. Making the roads safe for bicyclists is everyone’s responsibility. Aside from making sure to obey the law when biking, cyclists need to practice safe travel by avoiding accidents. Let’s look at the ways a bicycle rider can enjoy riding and not be injured in an accident.
Bicycle Accidents in Sacramento County
Nationwide, in 2015, approximately 1,000 bicyclists lost their lives on the road. In addition, 467,000 riders were injured, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Those aged 50-59 have been reported to have the greatest number of fatal accidents. Children and young teens have the highest number of injuries. The majority of deaths happen in cities as opposed to rural areas. Males die 600 percent more often in bicycle accident than females. Nearly 40 percent of those killed in bicycle accidents were impaired by alcohol.
Folsom Bicycle Accidents
In 2014, there were 22 bicyclist injuries or deaths from collisions in Folsom as reported by the California Office of Traffic Safety. This placed Folsom at number 61 out of 105 comparably sized cities. Sacramento County fared much worse with 620 bicyclists either injured or killed in accidents that year. That placed the county as number 11 out of the 58 California counties.
Intersection Accidents
Intersections are dangerous places for both bicyclists and other motor vehicle drivers. When approaching an intersection, particularly a four-way stop, there are things both groups must do to avoid accidents:
- Motorists and cyclists need to be cognizant of speed limits and slow down as they approach the crossroads.
- Both should look for stop signs and traffic signals.
- Motorists must maintain vigilance for bikers traveling alongside cars entering the intersection. Bikers should never parallel an automobile when crossing an intersection.
- Motorists need to give bicyclists the right of way. Even if the driver of a car or truck has the right of way, hitting a bicycle rider could prove fatal.
- Bicyclists are obligated to obey the rules too. If they are on the road, they have many of the same duties as auto or truck drivers.
Door Accidents
According to bicyclesafe.com, many cyclists are injured or killed in accidents where they ride into the opened door of a motor vehicle. These accidents happen when the motorist, often parallel parked, opens his or her door right in front of the bicycle rider’s path. It is often too late to stop. One way to avoid this is to ride out of the way and to the left. This can be tricky, however, since you might place yourself uncomfortably into the traffic lane.
Passing a Bicyclist
Motorists are under the obligation to not pass a bicyclist unless there is a minimum of three feet between the cyclist and the motor vehicle under the Three Feet for Safety Act. If it isn’t possible to pass a bicyclist, the motorist is required to slow down, and wait to pass until it is safe to do so. On rural two-lane roads, this might be difficult since moving over would place the motor vehicle in oncoming traffic. Avoiding this accident takes due diligence from both the car or truck driver and the cyclist. Cyclists must have reflectors on their bike, particularly when driving at dusk and in the night.
Related Articles by Folsom Bicycle Accident Attorney Ed Smith
Folsom Bicycle Accident Attorney
I’m Ed Smith, a Folsom bicycle accident attorney. Please call me whenever you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle accident caused by a negligent driver. The phone number is for friendly, free advice. You can phone (800) 404-5400 outside the area. At my website, AutoAccident.com, there is also a contact page if that is easier.
I’ve worked as an injury lawyer, defending the rights of Folsom and Northern California injury victims for 35 years. I seek fair compensation for personal injury victims, including for traumatic injuries from auto, motorcycle and truck accidents and in cases of wrongful death. To find out more, look over my Verdicts and Settlements page.
Client comments and reviews can be found at:
I have obtained million-dollar judgments and awards for injury victims. Because of this, I belong to the Million Dollar Advocates as a California forum member.
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/en/cycling-bicycle-riding-sport-655565/
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