5 Common Sense Bike Safety Tips

Biking for work or pleasure can be physically taxing, but emotionally invigorating. However, there is increasing number of bike accidents that could have been avoided if more information about how to drive a bike safely is disseminated. Consider these tips:

Use Safety Gear

This is standard equipment that will help you in the event you fall or get bumped. You cannot bike without a helmet, although consider installing headlights and a horn as well. You should also have a tiny tool kit in case of an accident that includes basic first aid, flashlight, and simple bike tools.

Never Bike against Traffic Flow

Many bikers like to do this because they assume it’s safer to be seeing the cars coming than having come from behind. Unfortunately, cars do not expect bike to coming towards them, especially in the corners, so they are not normally on the lookout for a speeding bike.

Quit Speeding

This brings us to the tendency to speed on a bike. The thrill of being able to get through immense bottleneck traffic is tempting, but extremely dangerous. Not only will you have to deal with car doors suddenly opening in your face, you also have heightened tempers from vehicle drivers struck in traffic. Rush hour is the worst time to be speeding on your bike because drivers are less inclined to be magnanimous and just want to get to their destination as soon as possible.

Slow Down in Corners

Aside from being at risk from cars coming out of corners, you also need to slow down because of cars turning into corners, some of whom do not signal. Or, you do not see their signal light because you are in a “no man’s land” where the signal lights are not visible to you.

Avoid using headphones or other music devices

Listening to music is part of what makes biking extremely attractive. You can be one with the song, have no worries during the time you’re biking, and generally just enjoy the sounds. If you tend to keep the volume up, you end up not hearing car horns or any warning sounds from around you. You could also get so caught up with your music; you get distracted and drive without being fully alert.

What you have to realize when riding a bike is that you are vulnerable from all sides, and this is where the danger lies. You cannot afford to drive half awake or while daydreaming.

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