Practicing Safety When Pedaling
Riding your bicycle as a means of transportation is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and boost your overall health. Just because you are making the healthy choice for your body and the earth by pedaling around town does not mean you get a free pass to ignore basic traffic laws, though. Unfortunately, many bike accidents occur because the bicyclist did not follow posted signage, forcing nearby cars or pedestrians to make hasty maneuvers.
To keep you, other bicyclists, drivers, and pedestrians safe on the roadways, use these tips.
- If a bike lane is available to you, always use it. Seek out routes to your destination that will feature designated bike lanes.
- Take note of posted signage and observe it.
- When you are on a bike, obey traffic signals the same way you would behind the wheel of a car. This means stopping at red lights and stop signs.
- Learn the appropriate signals to use to indicate when you will be turning, and always utilize them.
- Be aware that when you interact with a pedestrian, the pedestrian has the right of way. If you hit a pedestrian while on your bicycle, you can incur serious damage. Consequently, a bike running into a pedestrian is treated very similar to a car hitting a pedestrian.
- Be aware that you can also be held liable if a pedestrian gets injured trying to maneuver around your oncoming bike.
If you use a bike to get around, you probably have invested in a serious bicycle. As bikes have gotten more expensive, it is important for you to know how to protect your investment. For more information about bike insurance, contact Lou Aggetta Insurance Services. Located in Pleasant Hill, we serve California, Nevada, and Arizona and can help you protect your bicycle even when its value extends past your homeowners insurance policy limits.