Beaufort Bicycle Safety in Summer a Concern

Bicycle safety is a big issue for bike riders and drivers throughout Beaufort, Hilton Head and Bluffton.

A personal injury lawyer knows that the spring and summer are the seasons when the most riders are on the road. This means the risk of a bike collision goes up.

Drivers need to be aware that they will encounter more bicycle riders as the weather starts to get warmer and should make informed decisions about the way they operate their vehicles in order to help keep these riders safe.

Bicycle Safety is a Risk During Spring and Summer

The National Highway Traffic Safety Alert conducted a large-scale nationwide study in 2012 on the issue of bicycle safety. Of the more than 7,000 respondents to the survey, around one-fifth over the age of 16 said they had ridden their bicycle over the course of the prior 30 days.

Among the people who said they ride bicycles, 51 percent said that they rode their bikes at least one time per week over the course of the summer months. There are more riders during spring and summer than during any other time of the year. Most of the riders who rode their bicycles did so alone. Most rode for recreation or for exercise, although people also rode their bikes in order to commute.

The bicycle riders were asked if they had feared for their safety while they were riding. A total of 12 percent said that they had worried about their safety. Among those who had expressed concerns about how safe they were, 83 percent said that motor vehicle operators had made them feel that they were in danger. Most of the time, this was because the drivers were going too fast or because the drivers got to close to the bicycle riders.

Bike riders and drivers both need to ensure they are respecting each other on the roads and following all of the rules of the road. The NHTSA wants to remind people about good practices for bicycle safety and this is an opportune time to do it as more riders take to the roads. As a result, the NHTSA has named May to be National Bicycle Safety Month. As part of this month, the NHTSA is publicizing some safety tips including:

• Bicycle riders always wearing helmets while riding.
• Bicycle riders wearing brightly colored clothing and/or using reflectors to make sure drivers see them. This is especially important when riding at night time.
• Drivers never operating their vehicles while intoxicated.
  Both drivers and bicycle riders staying focused on the roads at all times.
• Drivers obeying the speed limit and respecting the rights of bicycle riders on the road.
• Drivers avoiding bicycle lanes, leaving at least three feet between their vehicle and car while passing, and yielding the right of way to bikers when required to do so.

If both bicycle riders and drivers keep these safety best practices in mind throughout the spring and summer, hopefully everyone can stay safe and collisions can be avoided.

A Beaufort South Carolina personal injury attorney can help if you have been injured or a loved one was killed in an accident. Contact Twenge + Twombley today at 866-452-6315 for a free case consultation.