One of the common concerns people raise is about bicycle safety. For various reasons, a lot of people think biking is “unsafe”. It is true that accidents happen, and people debate a lot about how to interpret the accident statistics. I’ve read a lot of these sites and arguments, and I think they can be boiled down to two simple messages.
1.
2.
• Riding on sidewalks is one of the riskiest places to bike and one of the major causes of bike accidents. Cars are not looking for bikes as they pull out of driveways or at intersections.
• Riding at night without lights is another major cause of bike accidents. Riding intoxicated at night without lights is just plain stupid.
• Riding the wrong way against traffic is another major cause of accidents.
• And, running stop signs is another sure-fire way to increase the odds of getting clocked by a car.
Then there are the people who do all these things and more – I see them occasionally around, weaving in and out of traffic, running lights, riding on the sidewalk. Sadly, they don’t realize how much danger they are putting themselves in. They are the folks responsible for the majority of all bike accidents.
It is simple:
For more great information on this subject, check out
If you ride a pedal bike – you take a risk
Most cyclists accept the risk and frankly that is part of the fun of cycling – you, your bike and the open road. However you have to take precautions and speaking from the UK as an accident lawyer we come across many cyclists who do not wear helmets, have no hi-vis and no lighting on their bikes
Be sensible and be safe