Most people in Jonesboro, Paragould, Craighead County, Lawrence County, Greene County, Mississippi County, Poinsett County and surrounding areas who ride their bikes for commuting or recreation spend more time on their bicycles during the spring and summer months.
Drivers need to be aware that there are likely to be more people on the road at this time of year and should try to take steps to avoid causing serious injury or death as a result of a collision. A personal injury lawyer knows a large number of bicyclists have reported feeling their personal safety was threatened by drivers who came too close or went too fast. Drivers should become educated about how to safely share the road with cyclists in order to avoid bicycle accidents and ensure a safe, happy summer for everyone.
Avoiding Bicycle Collision Risks this Summer
In 2012, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration conducted a large-scale telephone survey of more than 7,000 people, with the goal of analyzing how people felt about walking and about bicycle riding. The survey revealed that 22 percent of people who were aged 16 and older had ridden their bicycle in the preceding month.
Of the people who said that they ride their bicycle, just over half said that they ride their bike at least once per week during the summer months. Most (33 percent) are riding for recreation and 28 percent are riding in order to get some exercise. Bicycle riders who ride for recreation may go to parks, but may also be on the road with cars.
When bicycle riders are on the roads, many report that they have experienced great concern for their personal safety. Twelve percent said they worried they would be hurt while riding, and 83 percent of those with this concern indicate that it was a motorist in a car or truck that had made them feel frightened about getting injured.
Drivers need to avoid high-risk behaviors that put bicycle riders in fear for their safety and cause collisions. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration wants to remind both bicycle riders and drivers about best practices for safety as the spring and summer weather approaches and more people get on their bikes. As a result, May has been declared National Bike Safety Month. During this month, the NHTSA stresses the important of both bicycle riders and drivers doing their part to avoid accidents. Some of the safety tips include:
- Drivers leaving at least three feet of space between their vehicles and the bicycle riders.
- Drivers respecting bicycle lanes and not encroaching on the spaces reserved for riders.
- Drivers ensuring they always check for bicycle riders, especially before passing or turning.
- Bicycle riders wearing bright clothing and using reflectors to make themselves more visible to drivers, and always ensuring that they obey the rules of the road like any other motorist.
Both drivers and cyclists should consider these safety tips not just during bicycle safety month, but all the time - especially as more people get on the roads during the warmer months.
Contact the Arkansas accident attorneys the McDaniel Law Firm at 1-855-524-4744. Serving Northeast Arkansas including Jonesboro, Paragould, Craighead County, Lawrence County, Greene County, Mississippi County, Poinsett County and surrounding areas.
