Preventive Measures for Boynton Beach Bicycle Accidents

Accidents are fairly common in Boynton Beach. You can come away with serious injuries if you did not take the right safety precautions to avoid collisions and injuries. Speak with one of our practiced bicycle accident attorneys in Boynton Beach to learn more about the preventive measures for Boynton Beach bicycle accidents. By following these safety tips you may be able to not only prevent injury, but also save one’s life.

Preventive Measures

The first preventive measures for Boynton Beach bicycle accidents that any bicycle rider should have is common sense. The person is on a 20, 30, 40-pound piece of metal with two big wheels and absolutely no protection unless the person wears a helmet. If the person gets hit; they are going down so they should not play chicken with cars. A bicyclist should not think they can beat a car and should not assume that a car or truck driver is aware of them. Motor vehicles are traveling two, three, or four times the speed the person is going on their bicycle and they have the right of way. A bicycle rider is slower and lumbers along. The bicycle rider must yield to motor vehicles.

Although not required, it is highly advisable to have lights on the front and rear of a bicycle. Reflective clothing is most helpful, especially when someone rides at dusk or dawn. The use of lights on the front or back of the bike, even during daylight hours, is advisable. The more a person can stand out, the more attention they can draw to themselves as a bicycle rider, the better chance they have of surviving that ride.

Hand Signals

Hand signals from a bicycle driver’s perspective are definitely advisable, if not required under law. When a person is going to make a turn, as with any other vehicle on the roadway, they need to let other vehicles know whether they intend to make a left turn or they want to go straight through an intersection. It is the same with right turns.

Using one’s hands to indicate a right or left turn is just smart practice and should not make that portion of their bicycle trip any less safe. The person’s other hand is on the handlebars where the back brake control is located. The person signals with their left hand, which is usually a safe and good practice to let others know their intentions. Hand signals are an effective form of preventive measures for Boynton Beach bicycle accidents.

Rules Concerning Bicycle Helmets

When the person is under the age of 16, they must wear a helmet while riding a bicycle. When the person is over the age of 16, they should wear a helmet. When a person falls from a bicycle and hits their head on the ground, they can end up with a serious injury.

A bicycle helmet protects one of the most important organs in a person’s body, the brain. If a person falls off a bicycle or is thrown off a bicycle and hits something like a car’s windshield or hood when they are not wearing a helmet, their brain is going to sustain serious injuries. Everyone should wear a bicycle helmet while riding a bicycle, especially on the roadways.

Off-road safety measures include a helmet, anything that makes a person visible, and general precautions. When a bicyclist is going off the road they should have proper identification and perhaps have a cellphone or other means to call emergency personnel if they have an accident.

Common Misconceptions about Bicycle Safety

Many bicyclists think an accident is not going to happen to them. However, a bicycle accident can happen to anybody at any time. There is no second chance on a bicycle. There is no margin of error for texting or talking on the phone while someone is riding on a bicycle. Their attention should be focused on everyone around them. Cars are going two, three, four, or five times as fast and things happen at the speed of the fastest car on the roadway. It is always recommended to take preventive measures for Boynton Beach bicycle accidents.

In terms of time-distance analysis, things happen in a split second. Paying attention and being aware of the vehicles on the road and conditions of the roadway are most important. A person should have basic strategies in place. If something happens, they know where to go. They should always have a plan for being able to get out of the way or move over. They should know how to take evasive action to save themselves should something happen in front them, beside them, or behind them.