As fuel prices continue to fluctuate and people are becoming more health conscience, many folks are turning to bicycles for transportation and exercise. Amelia Island, Florida, has always been popular for cyclists and every day I see safety concerns and violations that are occurring by riders and motorists alike.
It is important that vehicles and cyclists know and practice the rules for keeping safe on the roads that we share. Every year in the United States, bicycle-related deaths number about 800 and emergency rooms treat over 500,000 people for bicycle-related injuries, most to the head. In just about 70% of accidents that involve both a bicycle and an automobile, the bicyclist is at fault and most of these accidents are avoidable.
Whether the bikers are children, tourists, novices or experts there are basic rules that we need to follow. Bike helmets should be worn at all times. This is actually a law for children under the age of 16, but if you look around you will notice the experienced riders wear helmets, but most of the kids do not. I also do not understand why the police officers that are assigned to our schools in the morning and afternoons do not make our children and their parents aware of this law: A bicycle rider or passenger who is under 16 years of age must wear a bicycle helmet that is properly fitted and is fastened securely upon the passenger’s head by a strap, and that meets the standards of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z 90.4 Bicycle Helmet Standards), the standards of the Snell Memorial Foundation (1984 Standard for Protective Headgear for Use in Bicycling), or any other nationally recognized standards for bicycle helmets adopted by the department. As used in this subsection, the term “passenger” includes a child who is riding in a trailer or semi-trailer attached to a bicycle. Check out item number 3(D) on this list of Florida Bicycle Laws.
Another problem I see everyday is some bikers ride with the traffic and some bicyclists ride against the traffic. When riding a bicycle on the street you are always to go in the same direction as the car traffic. You are also to obey the traffic signs and signals as if you were driving a vehicle. This includes obeying stop signs and traffic signals!
Make yourself visible when you are riding. Wear bright colors and install headlights and tail lights on the bike, they are required at night anyway.
Most bicycle riders know the hand signals to indicate they are turning or stopping, but they do not always use them. Here are the signals again in case you have forgotten them, but most importantly, you need to use them!
One of the most common ways for a bicyclist to get hit is when a car pulls out from a side street, driveway or parking lot. Whether the car hits you or you hit the car, the bicycle doesn’t stand a chance versus the weight of an automobile. Equip your bike with a loud horn and be prepared to use it as you approach these settings. Make eye contact with the driver to ensure you are seen, slow down and stop if you are unsure if the driver knows you are there.
When I took the Star Rider Motorcycle Safety Training Class several years ago, it occurred to me that everyone should take this class, whether or not they ever have the intention of being on two wheels. Requiring a class or adding more information to the driver’s license exam would raise awareness and reduce accidents involving bikers of all kinds. Many people are oblivious to bicycles, scooters and motorcycles.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that each year, more than 500,000 people in the US are treated in emergency departments, and more than 800 people die as a result of bicycle-related injuries. Visit the NHTSA, National Highway Transportation Safety Administration’s Web site for more information about bicycle safety. You can find even more information about bicycle safety located here, take a look at these websites for a refresher course if you haven’t been on a bicycle lately, and more importantly, ride safe!
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