6 Best Tips How to Safely Ride a Bike on the Road

October 12, 2021

Road accidents can happen to anyone. Whether you’re driving a car, bicycle, truck, or even if you’re a pedestrian, there’s still a high chance for you to get involved in a collision.

Thus, if you’re a biker, you also need to follow the rules of the road—as you would if you were driving a vehicle.

a group riding bikes

6 Tips How to Ride a Bike on the Road Safely

So, if you’re regularly biking on the road, below are six safety riding tips to consider from the get-go:

1. Use Proper Safety Riding Equipment

First and foremost, you should equip yourself with the proper safety equipment before riding a bike. With these pieces of equipment in place, you can minimize the risk of road accidents as well as injuries.

Below is a list of safety riding equipment you should have before taking your bike to the streets:

A durable helmet to protect your head in case of collision.
Bell or horns to warn pedestrians and other bikers on the road.
White headlight to properly illuminate the roadway and promote safe driving, especially at night.

Taillight allows other drivers to gauge the size, shape, and distance of your bike.
Working brakes to be used for slowing or stopping the bike and preventing its motion.
Reflectors alert other drivers of your bicycle’s presence on the road.

In addition to the list above, you should also have some must-have bike accessories for long-distance rides to keep yourself safe and avoid accidents.

2. Always Stay On The Right Lane

If there’s a lane intended for bike riding, be sure to always stay on that lane with other bikers. That way, you don’t need to share a lane with cars and other vehicles, thereby keeping you safe on the road.

In case the street is too narrow for vehicles to pass, you may be allowed to use the middle of the lane to improve visibility. Also, if there are parked cars, watch out for them and stay a bit closer to the center of the street to avoid colliding with other vehicles.

3. Be Ready To Yield

To ensure bike safety while riding your bike on the road, it’s best if you know how to yield to other drivers. You can do this by going slowly that you can stop and provide the right of way when the need arises.

By sharing the road with other drivers, you can avoid tension that may arise between you and other motorists, thereby increasing your risk of accidents and injuries.

Moreover, while you should always be ready to yield to other motorists, it doesn’t mean they’ll take advantage of your rights as a road user. This situation can also be attributed to the lack of attention that’s generally given to bikers and pedestrians.

For instance, road bike safety measures give more focus on drivers and passengers of cars, trucks, and other motor vehicles, making it a reason why bike and pedestrian deaths are increasing nowadays.

To better understand this unfortunate situation, you can check over here for more information.

4. Observe The Proper Use Of Signals

Another way to ensure your bike safety on the road is to signal well. This means you should have proper signaling skills before making turns, thereby keeping yourself away from road accidents. Thus, before hitting a busy street, you should follow the tips below for proper signaling:

When turning left, hold your left arm out to the left side of your body
When turning right, hold your right arm out to the right side of your body.

As you can see, there are proper signals that should be kept in mind when biking on the road. Without these signals in place, you, pedestrians, and other car drivers could get involved in a fatal accident.

5. Be Cautious Of Intersections

For a safe bike riding experience, it’s important to be very vigilant when you arrive at intersections as these places are also hotspots for vehicular collision.

So, when you plan to stop, be sure to hang left in the lane so other drivers in front and behind you are warned of your presence.

Moreover, if you’re in the front line when the green light appears, don’t pedal forward immediately. Instead, check for red-light runners first to avoid serious encounters with other vehicles.

6. Refrain From Using Your Phone

If you’re riding a bicycle, you must put down your mobile phone and focus on the road.

Whether you’re texting, talking on the phone, or browsing the Internet, you should never use your phone while navigating the road. This is to make sure you’ll not get distracted and put yourself at risk for road accidents.

Also, by putting down your phone, you can look ahead and keep your head up. You’ll be able to see what’s coming, giving you enough time to react and maneuver your bike to safety.

If you really need to use your phone, look for a safe spot on the side of the road and park your bike. Then, finish your call or message before getting back on the road.

The Bottom Line

Even if you’re an experienced biker, it’s best to follow the tips mentioned above to ensure bike safety on the road. When you don’t keep yourself safe, you may get involved in a road accident which can result in serious and life-threatening injuries.

When this happens, your life may change forever. To protect yourself, you should hire a personal injury lawyer who can recover compensation on your behalf.

That way, you can focus on your full recovery and get your life back in no time.

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