Although it is impossible to avoid all bicycle accidents, following some general safety tips and obeying the local traffic laws and regulations can help cyclists prevent a large percentage of potential collisions. In fact, many types of bicycle accidents are highly preventable as long as cyclists comprehend the rules of traffic and why they are beneficial. Unfortunately, nothing can prevent every accident scenario and it is important that cyclists can be proven to have upheld the law and avoid adding insult to injury by being held liable for the accident.

All cyclists should protect themselves physically and legally by gaining a comprehensive understanding of bicycling safety laws. These laws will vary from state to state and in most cases are similar to if not precisely the same as that states driving laws. These commonly include only riding in designated areas, riding with the flow of traffic, the use of appropriate hand or light signals to indicate your intentions of action to others sharing the road with you, then riding on appropriate equipment with appropriate safety features.

Appropriate equipment for bicycle simply means that the rider’s bicycle is the correct size for the rider, with the handlebars and seeds placed in their proper position and was working brakes and reflectors on the petals and rear of the bike. Additionally bicyclists are required to lobby late or headlamp install to the front of their bike for use at night.

Following traffic safety rules is essential for all bicyclists’ personal safety and to limit their legal responsibility in the event of an accident. This includes obeying all stop signs, traffic signs such as yield signs and traffic signals, signaling when making a turn, and riding either in designated bike lanes are as close to the right side of the roadway as possible. However, as many bicycle accidents are caused by motor vehicle driver’s failure to see the bicyclist, it can be argued that in the interest of defensive riding bicyclists should ride in the center or left hand lane to increase their visibility, where appropriate.

Bicyclists following the rules and regulations listed above must also avoid engaging and certain activities such as writing with additional passengers on non-tandem bicycles, riding without both hands placed on the handlebars, writing will hitch to another vehicle or writing it with a seat that is not securely fixed.

Understanding and obeying bicycle safety laws is the first step in avoiding bicycle accidents. If you are a cyclist who has already been in a bicycle accident, contact an accident attorney familiar with bicycle accident cases.