Drivers and bicyclists must use proper safety measures

Just because the weather is cooler doesn’t mean that bicyclists will stop riding. Instead, they will still be out in droves, a little more bundled up than they are in the summertime.

Since bicyclists will be still be out on the roads, everyone needs to take steps to ensure their safety.

Collisions with cars can be fatal

Riding a bike is a great way to get fit. However, it is also a very dangerous activity. There were 1,100 deaths in 2015 that were due to a cars and bikes colliding. While there isn’t any hard evidence about how many of these deaths could have been prevented, each of these deaths was a tragedy.

In 2015, more injuries were associated with bicycles than with swimming pools, skateboards, trampolines and playground equipment combined. Biking injuries were also more prevalent than football injuries. Only basketball resulted in more injuries than bicycling. There were 488,123 people who suffered injuries while riding bikes in 2015 that landed them in emergency rooms.

Bicyclists should wear helmets

Some people don’t like to wear helmets because they can’t stand the way they look or feel. However, not wearing one can prove to be a fatal decision. Helmets help to prevent brain injuries. You can reduce your risk of a brain injury by 58 percent and a head injury by 60 percent. The hard shell of the helmet and the interior cushioning provide more protection than what you have with only your skull and skin trying to keep your brain safe.

Follow the rules of the road

Bicyclists should ride in the same direction as the flow of traffic. They should ride in a single file line and be careful to watch for hazards on the road, such as cars opening their doors. Wearing bright and reflective clothing is also a good idea so that vehicles can see the bicyclists.

Motorists have to ensure they are giving bicyclists the appropriate right of way. Just because a bicycle is smaller than a car doesn’t mean that the car’s driver should bully the bicyclist. People on bikes should make sure that they are following the rules of the road, but don’t do anything that is unsafe just because you have the right of way.

Collisions with cars can be deadly or cause injuries, so always err on the side of caution.