Arizona Bicycle Accident Safety Tips with Be Safe, Bike Smart Campaign

By The Husband and Wife Law Team on February 26, 2014

As Arizona bicycle accident lawyers, we like to remind people of the Arizona Department of Transportation’s (ADOT) program called “Be Safe, Bike Smart.” The purpose of this program is to educate everyone, including bicyclists and motorists, on how to bike and share the road safely. This is so important, because with the increasing number of people biking to work and school and for recreation and sport, there are more bikes on the road and more reasons to drive safer.

According to the ADOT, certain cities, including Tucson and Sierra Vista, as well as Yuma and Pima counties, require that anyone under the age of 18 years wear a bicycle helmet while riding. The campaign says that even though other areas might not require it by law, bicyclists should always wear protective gear while riding in order to minimize injury if they fall or are hit. Here are some other safety tips that bicyclists should practice every time they ride:

1. Ride on the right. This means you should always ride with the flow of traffic instead of against it. Riding against traffic is dangerous.
2. Ride predictably. This means you should avoid swerving or doing things that drivers might not expect. Instead, follow the same rules they do and abide by them at all times.
3. Obey traffic laws. This includes obeying all signals, signs, and lane markings just as motorists do.
4. Wear protective gear. This includes a helmet as well as gloves, long pants, closed toe shoes, etc.
5. Obey lane markings. Just like the driver of a car, make sure to stay in your lane, signal to change lanes, turn from a turning lane, etc. This also includes staying in your lane through intersections.
6. Use hand signals to tell drivers what you intend to do.
7. Always look for oncoming traffic when you are entering the roadway and going through intersections.
8. Bike defensively by watching for others and anticipating their moves.
9. Stay off the sidewalk so you don’t endanger pedestrians. Biking on the sidewalk is illegal in most places.
10. Wear bright clothing so you are more visible to others.
11. Keep an eye on what’s behind you. Use rear-view mirrors so you don’t have to look back and possibly swerve or lose your balance.

If you are injured in an Arizona bicycle accident, contact us at Breyer Law Offices, P.C. immediately.