6 Effective Tips For Riding Your Bike Safely

There was a time when most of the talk about the debilitating standards of road safety revolved around accidents that involve automobiles. Nowadays, bikes are getting increasing traction in countries like the United States and Germany, where many people have started to use them for transportation. As a result, many bike manufacturers around the world have also picked up their efforts to manufacture the lightest bikes with some revolutionary bike safety features. 

But, having a safe bike is not enough to ensure your safety on the road and you must ride it exactly as if you are driving an automobile. We have discussed here six effective tips for riding your bike safely. But, if you end up in a car accident despite adhering to these tips, do not feel reluctant to file a personal injury lawsuit by following various tips to hire a competent lawyer like an Anlant bike injury attorney.

1. Wear proper gear:

Firstly, you should always wear a helmet like you would if you were driving a motorbike. Many riders tend to ignore helmets as they feel that they are not vulnerable to high-speed accidents like they would be if they were riding a motorbike. But, the fact of the matter is that bike riders are also vulnerable to high-speed accidents as any fast approaching automobile can hit them.

In such circumstances, wearing a helmet will considerably reduce the head impact of the accident, and can prove to be the difference between life and death. Moreover, never wear loose clothes while cycling because they can easily get stuck in the moving parts of the bike and cause an accident. 

2. Stay visible:

One of the biggest safety challenges for bike riders appear at night as they are difficult to locate on the roads. If you are a bike rider, you must install reflectors all over the body of your bike so that you are visible to the approaching vehicles. Moreover, you need to be able to see the potential obstacles on the road as well. Therefore, install a small but powerful headlight on your bike which can be powered by solar energy, DC batteries, or by the rotational energy of the wheels. 

3. Ride in a predictable pattern:

Many bike riders make the mistake of sneaking through the spaces between the automobiles by riding in random patterns. But, it can be pretty dangerous because fast approaching cars can easily hit such riders. Therefore, you must make sure that you ride your bike in a line as straight as possible to minimize the chances of having an accident. Moreover, if you religiously follow traffic rules while riding, it will also help you tremendously in riding predictably. 

4. Change your pattern cautiously:

You obviously cannot travel in a predictable line all the time, as you may have to take turns to reach your destination. Firstly be aware of the traffic around you, and start signaling them with your right or left hand according to the direction you are taking. Before taking the turn, you must also look behind during signaling to check if any vehicle is approaching dangerously towards you. Finally, only take the turn once you are sure that it is safe to change your direction. 

5. Stay away from all the distractions:

Keep your eyes and ears on the road and avoid listening to music and answering phone calls because they can easily distract you from the road. For example, if you are listening to music while riding, you may not even hear the horn of an approaching vehicle, and it can land you in a lot of trouble. 

6. Keep your bike well maintained:

Bikes are a dangerous mode of transportation because there is no layer of safety between you and an approaching vehicle. Therefore, the least you can do is to not inflict any injury on yourself by not maintaining your bike properly. For example, if you do not keep it well oiled, the moving parts can get jammed and break while you are riding your bike, and can cause serious injuries.