How Can City Bike Commuters Remain Safe?

Do you commute into the city every day for work? Do you do so on your bicycle? If you answered yes to both these questions, there are some key steps you can take to improve your chance of remaining safe.

Note: Even if you follow the rules of the road, there is no guarantee that another person won’t make a mistake that causes an accident.

Here are some of the tips you can follow to avoid trouble when commuting on your bike:

— Watch for opening doors. After a driver parks his or her car, it’s only a matter of time before a door opens. If you don’t see this coming, if the person does not first look for bicyclists, you could collide with the door head on.

— Use hand signals. This is one of the simplest things you can do if you want to provide others with an idea of the next move you are going to make.

— Keep your distance from angry drivers. Let’s face it: some drivers don’t want to share the road with bicyclists. If you find yourself in close proximity with one of these people, do your best to remove yourself from the situation. Even if it means slowing down, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

These are just a few of the many things you can do to improve your overall level of safety as a city bike commuter. If you do find yourself involved in an accident, receive immediate medical attention and then learn more about why and how your accident occurred.

Source: Bicycling, “5 Safety Pointers for the Urban Cyclist,” accessed March 15, 2017