To prevent a bicycle accident, you need to have eyes on the back of your head and constantly be on the lookout for danger. Every bike rider will tell you that a bicycle accident can happen in the blink of an eye and often without a hint of a warning.
Bicycle accidents happen every day in the UK, and cyclists are always in danger of being hit by a car, truck, bus, or a pedestrian. Drivers say they did not see the bicycle coming or only saw it at the last minute, not much good when you are the one in the middle of the road with a broken collar bone.
You are very vulnerable when on a bicycle. The slightest tip of a wing mirror could knock you from the saddle or have you veering off the road. A pedestrian could step off the footpath and send you flying, or a car coming out of the driveway hits you full-on, causing severe injuries.
Prevention is the best cure, and though you cannot avoid the car door opening unexpectedly, there are more than a few ways to prevent a bicycle accident.
10 ways to prevent a bicycle accident
There are many ways to prevent a bicycle accident yet they happen even though the rider is a safe one and is following the rules of the road.
The most experienced bicycle riders will have had one or two bad accidents in their time and will probably have the scars to prove it.
Some ways to prevent a bicycle accident are:
1. Keep the bicycle service and tuned
Keeping the bicycle serviced and tuned is an excellent way to avoid trouble on the road. You often hear of the brakes failing when the bike came to a junction or the gears locking when the rider needed them the most.
Ways to keep the bike safe for riding:
A well-kept bike could save you from many accidents on the road.
2. Stay off the busy streets
Staying off the busy streets is another obvious way to prevent a bicycle accident. The more cars, trucks, and buses you meet, the more chance you will have of an accident on the bike.
You can stay off the busy streets by:
Keeping safe on the bicycle is often a matter of avoiding heavy traffic and keeping to the quiet roads.
3. Stay off the roads with the potholes
Staying off the roads with the potholes can avoid accidents like hitting one in the dark or slamming into a water-filled one on a rainy day. The pothole can knock you to the ground or into the course of oncoming traffic.
Avoid the potholes when on the bike by:
Potholes can be hazardous when on the bike and are best avoided as much as possible.
4. Stay in the bicycle lanes
Staying in the bicycle lanes is a very good rule of the road and is a great way to prevent a bicycle accident. Bicycle lanes keep you out of the busy traffic, and there should be more of them on our streets.
Staying in the bicycle lanes can:
A bicycle lane is a safe option for cyclists and can help to prevent many types of accidents.
5. Keep an eye on pedestrians
Keeping an eye on pedestrians when on the bike is another golden rule when it comes to preventing a bicycle accident. You never know what the parent pushing a buggy will do or the school kids on their way home in the evening.
Keep an eye on pedestrians when:
Hitting a pedestrian can cause a serious injury to you and to them, so keep a close eye when cycling by a footpath.
6. Give the parked car plenty of space
Giving a parked car plenty of space will avoid being hit by a door opening in your path or of it pulling out unexpectedly and without a signal from the side of the road.
You never know what can happen with a parked car. A kid could run around from behind and not look before crossing the road. A cyclist coming the other way could speed around it and collide with you, or you could even hit a wing mirror you did not notice.
Giving a parked car plenty of space is a good way to prevent a bicycle accident.
7. Do not expect the driver to see you
By not expecting the driver to see you, you will be one step ahead of one of the most common bicycle accidents on UK roads. Drivers only think of the other drivers on the road and rarely consider the cyclist.
A driver will not see the cyclist when:
Watching every car and knowing that that driver does not see you is one way to keep safe when cycling on UK roads.
8. Watch the bus at the bus stop
Watch the bus at the bus stop, as you never know what can happen while cycling along a busy road. A bus is a big road user and the slightest tip from one when it is only going a few miles an hour could cause the cyclist a severe injury.
The problem with a bus is not only its size but quite often, the driver will be in a hurry. The bus may pull off from a bus stop without signalling or suddenly come to a halt when you are behind it.
Like a car, it is best to steer well clear of the bus, especially at a bus stop.
9. Obey the traffic lights when on the bike
Obeying the traffic lights when on the bike may sound like an obvious way to prevent a bicycle accident, but many bike crashes happen to cyclists at traffic lights and other road junctions.
You can obey the traffic lights and prevent an accident when on the bike by:
Traffic lights can be a dangerous spot when on a bicycle, so obeying the signals can help prevent a bicycle accident.
10. Slow down when on the bike
Slow down when on the bike and take a good look at what is happening around you on the road. Every car, bus and truck is going faster than you, and the chances are that the driver will not see the cyclist behind or beside them.
If you slow down when on the bike, you can avoid:
Speed can cause an accident when on a bike, so slowing down could help save your life or reduce the chances of serious injury.
Bicycle accidents and personal injury
Bicycle accidents and personal injury go hand in hand, and being on a bike can increase your chances of being injured in a road traffic accident in the UK.
Nearly 46% of road traffic accidents with a bike involve being hit by a car. 82% of cyclists seriously injured on UK roads are male, and nearly two cyclists per week are killed in road traffic accidents.
UK government statistics show that cyclists are injured on UK roads every day, and some receive very serious injuries when hit by a car or other road users.
A bicycle accident can cause broken limbs, cuts and bruises, back injuries, and brain damage, even in the smallest of collisions.
You can be a careful cyclist, but often, a bicycle accident happens that is not your fault, and you could have a personal injury compensation claim.
Contact the Personal Injury Team No Win No Fee solicitors today for more information on starting a compensation claim for personal injury in a bike accident.
