Bicycle accidents are unfortunately increasingly common in both California and Arizona, causing many to seek damages to compensate for their losses. Defensive driving and being aware of your surroundings are the best tools for safety, as is making sure your bicycle is properly maintained, making sure to wear a helmet, and obeying all street laws to avoid accidents as best you can. In addition to wearing a properly fitted bicycle helmet, here are five products every bicycle rider should have at their disposal.
Riding on poorly-inflated or leaking tires can be dangerous, as can finding yourself in the middle of nowhere with a tire that needs patching, or a disconnected chain. You should carry a small kit with your patch kit, spare tire tube, levers to switch out tubes, and a pump to make sure you are prepared. It’s also smart to include a small first aid kit, as well as a multi-tool, should your repair needs be a little more complicated.
Your helmet, shoes, bicycle, and your top layer of clothing should all have reflective elements on them, if possible. Reflective leg bands will work to reflect light and keep you visible, and also help to keep your paints from getting caught in your chain. You should also carry extra backup reflective tape should you lose any on the ride or be stuck with less reflective clothing than normal.
Hand and arm injuries are incredibly common in bicycle accidents, so wearing bicycle gloves can at least keep your hands free of injuries to your palm, and cushion the blow a bit.
Installing a light on the front and back of your bike increases visibility overall. Installing them will announce your presence the same way a motorcycle’s does, making people aware of your positioning. Having a bike bell or horn is also important in the case of needing to indicate your presence to other bicycles, motorists, or pedestrians. Combined with defensive driving, both of these items should decrease your likelihood of a crash.
Mirrors can be installed directly on the bicycle, on your helmet, or both. These will make your ability to see behind you easier, especially since it can be difficult and dangerous to look too far over your shoulder while maneuvering a bicycle. In case of an accident, it also doesn’t hurt to have a “dashcam” type digital camera, most of which come with the equipment to tape to your helmet or handlebars, and which can help in the case of determining fault in an accident.
Safe driving and bicycle riding are always your first line of defense, and you should always assume – and drive as though – no one else can see you. Signal, drive defensively, and try to remain visible and as obvious as possible. Unfortunately, the busier the roads, the more common accidents will become. If you are the victim of a bicycle accident, you should speak with an attorney to understand your rights as soon as possible.
blogs
Five Safety Products for Motorcycle Riders
Approximately ten percent of motor vehicle deaths in the United States can be attributed to motorcycleaccidents. Safe riding and defensive driving are important to all motor vehicle operations, of course, but making sure you’re stocked up on the right equipment to make your ride as safe as possible is critical to avoiding accidents or, in […]
More Apps for Increased Rideshare Safety
If every ride you take is just you and an unknown driver, it doesn’t hurt to look into your safety options. And while any unsure situation could potentially turn dangerous, you can do yourself a favor by finding helpful methods for letting people know where you are and where you’re going to be, and generally […]
Five Helpful Facts and Tips About Pedestrian Accidents
The pedestrian fatality rate in Arizona is more than double that of the national average, at 1.61 pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people. Most of these are male pedestrians, killed at a rate of almost three times as much as female pedestrians. Keeping pedestrians safe is everyone’s job, but as a pedestrian, you should understand the […]
Winter Bicycle Riding Tips
With cold winds in your face and slick surfaces to navigate, the winter is not the ideal to ride on your typical bicycle. Many of us use a bike as our regular transportation, and some of us have our bikes tricked out for winter riding, as well. In order to make the most of your […]
Five Products for Increased Automobile Safety
It should be no surprise that in Arizona and California, with the increasing dependence on cars, automobile accidents are increasingly likely. In the event of an accident, you want to have as many bases covered as possible – from minor repairs you can do yourself to getting yourself out of harm’s way as quickly and […]
Five Apps for Increased Road Safety
Staying safe on the road is more important as more and more cities become increasingly dependent on automobile transportation. Increasedroad safety is about diligence and attentive driving, but there are also ways to “gamify” or in other ways incentivize safe driving, through smartphone apps. Here are five apps designed to keep you less distracted and […]
Winter Slip and Fall Accident Tips
Whether your winter is cold and snowy or just plain cold, winter is a time when slipand fall accidents are increasingly likely. Cold, wind, ice and snow are problems on their own and when they combine, it’s a perfect storm of injury possibilities. Typically, these conditions result in bruises and bumps, but there’s always the […]
Clearing Up Workers Compensation Misconceptions
If we hear the term “workers comp,” we probably feel like we understand the basics – if you get hurt on the job, you file for workers comp, you get time off to heal and hopefully a little extra something along with your salary to make it all easier. In an ideal world, sure, it […]
Five Helpful Facts About Dog Bites
Dog bites are not only relatively common, but they can be incredibly dangerous. If you’re bitten by a dog, you run the risk of the obvious wound to your flesh or bone, but you also are at risk for an infection, including tetanus and rabies. It can be helpful to know how to treat such […]
Tips for Avoiding Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycles as a mode of transportation are inherently moredangerous than others. Because of this, motorcycle drivers have an extra onus on them to be the safest drivers possible. Many motorcycle accidents are caused due to careless motorcycle driving, and while you may think you’re one of the safe ones, anyone can be caught off guard. […]
formulario de contacto
