Do you travel by bicycle on a daily basis? Are you a dedicated cyclist who rides a bike for exercise? Whatever your motive is for riding a bike, the reality is that you’re putting yourself at risk every time you conquer the road on wheels. If you want to avoid getting involved in bike accidents, you’ve got to know the most common causes of it.
Importance Of Knowing The Causes Of Bike Accidents
Bicycling is a great way to get around the city. It’s an efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly means of transportation. Besides being an excellent daily workout, it may also help you relax and relieve stress.
Although cycling has its benefits, it certainly has its negatives as well. Street vehicular accidents involving bicycles are at the top of the list. Such incidents are often exceedingly dangerous for bikers since bicycles provide no barricades to shield riders from serious injuries. Aside from that, some drivers constantly do things that put bicycle riders in danger.
Hence, to avoid such accidents, it’s a great help to know your city’s bike laws and the common causes of accidents. As an example, the full article on NYC’s bike laws includes rules that could ensure the safety of cyclists, which are important things to take heed of if you live within the area. Aside from that, recognizing the most prevalent causes of motorcycle accidents will assist you in identifying and ideally avoiding situations that raise your chances of being involved in a biking accident.
Top 6 Most Common Causes Of Bike Accidents
Sometimes, despite being cautious on the road, some cyclists still get involved in accidents. Even though they’re highly experienced and adept at controlling their bicycles, and are well-versed in the road laws, there are instances when riders must share roads with larger vehicles, such as buses and lorries. In fact, cyclists’ safety is only ensured if everyone else on the road is aware of and follows the rules.
Bike accidents can occur for a number of different reasons. To further enlighten you, here are the top six reasons for bicycle accidents.
- Large Cars And Trucks Turning Into Cyclists’ Path
This is one of the most common causes of bike accidents. This incident commonly occurs when the driver of an automobile overtakes a bicycle, and then abruptly slows down to turn, leaving the car squarely in the path of the bicyclist. Unfortunately, automobile drivers often think there’s enough room and time for the bike to slow down to avoid a collision. Additionally, drivers frequently claim that they’re unaware of the biker on the roadside and, hence, say there’s no reason to take any measures when an accident occurs.
- Poor Roads
Poorly maintained, pothole-infested roads can be every cyclist’s worst dread. Because bicycles are so light, they can easily lose their balance or become damaged on uneven surfaces, causing injuries and accidents. Occasionally, water puddles or oil slicks on the roads can cause bikes to slide, resulting in serious harm to the cyclist.
- Drivers Who Fail To Notice Cyclists While Switching Lanes
This is yet another significant cause of cyclist-related road accidents. Occasionally, a car that makes a sharp left turn and can’t stop in time could collide with a bike due to its considerably slower speed. Another situation is when an automobile or truck underestimates a bicycle’s pace and crosses into the bike’s lane, leaving the biker little time to respond.
- Opening Car Doors Next To An Approaching Cyclist
This type of incident occurs at an alarming rate. Car drivers or their occupants occasionally open their doors without checking to see whether or not a bike is approaching behind. Bike riders typically have little time to respond, and even if they do, their only alternatives are to veer into lanes with other cars that are much faster than them or slam into the vehicle’s door.
- Vehicles That Are Traveling At Excessive Speeds
Speeding is a key contributing factor in all traffic accidents. A bike rider, on the other hand, has almost little protection if they’re hit by a fast-moving vehicle. The quicker the automobile (and the bike) moves, the more likely the biker may be seriously hurt. Additionally, a fast biker has less control and the capacity to stop swiftly in order to escape a car or road barrier.
The best preventative measure for this is to be mindful of others and to keep your own speed within the posted limits.
- Biking Under Adverse Weather Conditions
The winter season sometimes produces slick pavements and hazardous roadways. A bicyclist who hits a chunk of ice seems more likely to crash or veer off the path or even into oncoming cars. And, without the safety that a car provides, bikers are more likely to be seriously injured in such accidents.
As a result, bicyclists should take extra measures, such as checking weather predictions and avoiding riding in adverse weather conditions whenever feasible. Or, it might be best to save your bike riding for the summer, fall, or autumn to avoid winter-related bike accidents.
Final Thoughts
As you’ve seen from the list above, the most prevalent causes involving bicycles also include cars and other vehicles. Some of the leading causes of cycling accidents are automobile drivers’ lack of road awareness, failure to gauge the speed or proximity of the bicycle, inability to notice bicyclists properly, and overall reckless or careless behavior.
However, cars aren’t always to blame for bike accidents. Accidents might still occur due to weather, road surface, and many other causes. As a result, it’s best to stay vigilant at all times, wear suitable bicycle gear, and obey traffic laws.
