Any environments or locations that find cyclists sharing the road with cars, trucks and other vehicles may represent a far greater safety risk than you may have realized. Doing all you can to enjoy a safer ride could make a life-saving difference and by learning and adhering to the laws of the road, planning your route more effectively and investing in high-visibility protective clothing and gear, you may be able to share the road in greater safety. Neglecting issues of safety can turn any ride into a far more dangerous one, resulting in risks that any cyclist may have been able to easily avoid.
Obeying Traffic Laws and Riding Defensively
The rules and regulations that govern the behavior of both cyclists and motorists is never a subject that should be taken lightly. Learning and adhering to any and all traffic laws, even in situations where they might seem irrelevant or less than necessary can do much to improve your level of safety. Riders who have only a dim understanding of such regulations will be far more likely to put themselves at greater risk, especially in situations where they have no choice but to share the road with motorists and traffic.
Just because you have a firm grasp on traffic law and know enough to make safer decisions does not mean other drivers can be expected to do the same. Riding defensively and expecting vehicles to behave in ways that would be illegal or unsafe can allow you to react to threats more quickly and mitigate any risks that you might be faced with on your daily ride. Riding more defensively and staying vigilant for the risk and threat that traffic might pose could be the single greatest way you can ensure greater safety whenever you share the road.
Planning a Safer Route and Avoiding More Dangerous Environments
Identifying environments where safety may be a bigger concern, riders would be limited in terms of their ability to avoid or mitigate the risks posed by traffic and any circumstances that may pose too great a hazard can allow you to avoid them when it comes to planning your daily commute or next extended ride. Steering clear of any circumstances or environments where your safety could be placed at greater risk will ensure that your other efforts to stay safe on the road will be met with a greater degree of success.
Not every road, route or intersection may suitable for cyclists. While you may be legally entitled to use your bike in almost any location or environment where traffic can be found, doing so may not always be the safest option. Spending a little time and effort planning a route that will provide you with a greater degree of safety or the chance to enjoy a smoother ride could be an important concern. Riders who make it a point to avoid the most dangerous circumstances and environments can do much to improve their level of safety.
Investing in Highly Visible Clothing and Protective Gear
Being harder to spot than larger vehicles can result in significantly greater risk for cyclists who may go unnoticed by the motorists and drivers they are trying to share the road with. More visible clothing and protective gear can allow you to reduce the risks of going unnoticed on a crowded street, and a more effective range of protective gear will ensure that you any accident or mishap may be less likely to result in more extensive injury. The clothing and gear you need to ride safely is never an asset that should be overlooked when it comes to sharing the road with traffic.
This post was written by Jessica Atlass, a full-time mother of two and part-time blogger. For more tips and information on cyclists and motorists on how to make the roads a safer place, visit GetInsuranceQuotes.ca’s Learning Centre.
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