How to Avoid Bicycle Accidents in California

Riding bicycles is a popular form of transportation as it’s cheaper than driving a vehicle, it’s a great form of exercise, and it helps decrease pollution in the atmosphere. Unfortunately, bicycle accidents occur frequently in the United States; therefore, it’s imperative that bicyclists are aware of prevention methods to help avoid accidents in the event a driver is not paying attention.

Steps to Prevent Bicycle Accidents

Sharing the road with vehicles provides a variety of potential hazards for bicyclists, but there are other hazards that can occur in bicycle lanes. For example, riding a bike that’s too large, hard to control, or that has defective brakes can lead to an accident. Riding against traffic is also dangerous and can also lead to an accident. Bicyclists who fail to obey traffic laws as they would in an automobile also contributes to accidents.

If bicyclists fail to signal before they switch lanes, that’s an easy accident. Bicyclists must pay close attention to objects in bike lanes, such as stones, grates, and potholes. It’s also important that bicyclists do not text while they operate a bicycle.

Bicycle Inspection

Before bicyclists hit the road, they should complete a thorough inspection of their bicycle. They should check the tires, gears, brakes, lights, reflectors, and pedals. They should also make sure their bicycle has a horn or bell. Bicyclists are required by law to always wear a helmet, which will help decrease the chances of obtaining serious head injuries if an accident occurs.

Be Mindful of the Traffic Around You

Once bicyclists are on the road, they should do their best to stay in bike lanes and ride with the flow of traffic. Bicyclists have equal rights and responsibilities as motorists; therefore, it’s important that bicyclists refrain from bobbing and weaving through lanes. Bicyclists should try to avoid busy streets if possible; if they must ride through a busy street, it’s important that they stay visible at all times. This also means wearing bright clothing at night.

Even though drivers are required by law to be aware of bicyclists, drivers still allow distractions to divert their attention off of the road. Therefore, it’s extremely important that bicyclists are just as alert as drivers are required to be. Bicyclists should always pay attention to sounds, obstacles, pedestrians, and opening doors.  As long as bicyclists do their best to follow all of these preventative methods, they will not be held liable in the event of an accident. If they receive injuries, they can file a personal injury claim with the help of a personal injury lawyer.

California Bicycle Accident Attorney

At Los Angeles Injury Group, we have experienced lawyers who have assisted clients with their bicycle injury cases. We know that drivers get distracted and don’t always pay attention to bicyclists. We believe our clients should receive compensation for their medical expenses, as we know how severe injuries can be. We also help our clients receive compensation for loss of wages, emotional suffering, pain, and mental anguish. If you, or someone you love, received injuries in a bicycle accident, call (310) 954-7248.