Arizona Bike Safety Guide
More and more people are riding their bikes to get around town throughout the country. The state of Arizona is no exception to this! While biking is a great way to navigate your city for many reasons, it’s important to ride safely. Although many drivers are cautious while sharing the roads with cyclists, there are still those who are careless and negligent. The best way for bike riders to stay safe is to understand best practices for sharing the road with vehicles and pedestrians. In case of an accident, Tucson bike accident lawyers can help you receive fair compensation.
How to Prevent Bicycle Accidents in Tucson
Unfortunately, bike accidents happen every day in a big city like Tucson. Thousands of bike accidents happen in Arizona in addition to car crashes. Many incidents that involve cyclists occur near college campuses. Cyclists must be cautious when sharing the road with cars and other motor vehicles. It is also mandatory to be careful when riding a bike on a campus sidewalk.
Safety Rules for Cyclists in Arizona
Bicycles are considered vehicles just like cars, motorcycles, and trucks. As a result, individuals riding bikes must adhere to all the rules of the road and traffic laws. However, there are some situations where a person on a bicycle may not be able to follow every traffic law.
The following are the most basic rules for bike riding on the road:
- Scan the road behind you: Looking over one’s shoulder without losing balance on a bicycle may take practice, but it’s necessary. It ensures that the rider knows what vehicles are behind them and at what distance. Some bikes have mounted rear-view mirrors or helmet mirrors that can assess the cars around them. Scanning the road behind you is essential when changing lanes. It may be worth investing in a mirror attachment for your bike if you frequently commute this way.
- Ride slowly on sidewalks and bike paths: Pedestrians always have the right of way. Bicyclists must avoid crossing intersections and driveways and should ring a bell or shout out a warning when passing pedestrians.
- Ride in a straight line: A person on a bicycle should always ride with the traffic and not against it. Always stay to the right while maintaining a car door’s width from parked vehicles. Riding the bike lane is also safer and can help prevent injury.
- Avoid road hazards: Cyclists should always avoid utility hole covers, sewer grating, ice, gravel, and oily pavements. Be especially careful while crossing railroad tracks, avoid speed bumps, and be wary of potholes in the street.
- Use caution when turning left: Bicyclists should always make hand signals when turning left. However, sometimes a driver may not see your hands, so be careful to avoid a collision.
- Properly equip the bike: Bicycles should be adequately equipped with headlights and taillights to protect the cyclist, especially when they are riding at night after dark and in bad weather. In some cases, local courts have ruled that cyclists must ride with a light at night, even on the sidewalk.
Keeping yourself safe by staying vigilant on the road is the best way to protect yourself as a bicyclist. If you do find yourself in an accident because of a negligent driver, the best thing to do is to call an experienced bike accident lawyer. An attorney with Karnas Law FIrm can help you with the legal process to ensure that you are appropriately compensated for any injuries. Call our Tucson bike lawyers at (520) 571-9700 or click here for a free consultation.