Earlier this month we shared the sad news that pro cyclist Burry Sanders was killed when his bike was hit by a taxi during a training ride in South Africa. Just a few days later, a commuter died in New York City when . But while it may seem like cycling accidents are on the rise, they鈥檝e actually fallen in recent years, says Carolyn Szczepanski, spokesperson for the League of American Bicyclists鈥攅ven as cycling, as a whole, is on the rise. (In fact, a recent study from the U.K. found that , than driving a car.)
It鈥檚 true, however, that accidents still happen. And although motorists play a large role in keeping the roads safe, there鈥檚 also a lot that cyclists can do to protect themselves, says Szczepanski. Before you take to the streets, make sure you鈥檙e following this basic advice.
1. BE PREDICTABLE: The most important thing you can do is to be fully aware of how your bike is going to function on the street. 鈥淭hink of yourself as any other vehicle,鈥 says Szczepanski. 鈥淏efore you ride, make sure it鈥檚 in peak condition: your brakes work, your tires are aired up, everything is aligned properly.鈥 Once you鈥檙e on the road, obey traffic laws: 鈥淧eople think that using hand signals or stopping at red lights aren’t important, but it lets motorists know where you are and where you plan to go, and that you鈥檙e following the rules just like everyone else.鈥
2. BE VISIBLE: Wearing bright clothes and having light on the front and back of your bike are important, especially in darker conditions. So is being in the right position on the roadway. 鈥淚f there鈥檚 no bike lane, you should be about where the right tire of a car would be,鈥 says Szczepanski. 鈥淎 lot of people get way over to the side of the road and rest their foot on the curb at intersections, but that makes cars less likely to see you鈥攁nd could be dangerous if you鈥檙e going straight and they鈥檙e turning right.鈥
And it may sound obvious, but ride on the right (that鈥檚 the right) side of the road. 鈥淭here鈥檚 this bizarre notion that riding against the flow of traffic is safer, but research shows that if a motorist is not expecting to see something (like a biker going the wrong way), he or she is actually much less likely to see it.鈥
3. BE CAUTIOUS: Don鈥檛 assume you鈥檙e automatically in the clear just because you鈥檙e following all the rules. Wear a helmet to protect your head from potential crashes. Keep a few feet of space between yourself and parked cars on the right (even in a bike lane) to avoid getting doored by drivers exiting their cars. Make eye contact with drivers when you鈥檙e turning or changing lanes, so you know they understand your intentions. And choose roads or lanes with less traffic whenever possible.聽
Check out more .