Riding on the road as a cyclist can be challenging at the best of times. Cyclists can easily disappear in the blind spot of a vehicle and a bicycle does not provide much protection in the event of an accident. Even with high visibility clothing and all of the caution in the world, there are certain types of cycling accidents that are difficult to avoid.
The left hook cycling accident is one of the most common and preventable types of accidents that many cyclists face. Luckily there are some top tips you can use for avoiding these accidents on the road:
A left hook accident:
This accident gets its name from times when a vehicle is turning left without yielding to cyclists in an oncoming lane. Most drivers are looking for pedestrians or other vehicles coming across the intersection and will cut a cyclist off or strike them midterm. Left hook accidents often happen as a vehicle is moving at a higher speed than the bicycle or when the bicycle is coming downhill through an intersection.
The best way to avoid left hook cycling accidents:
Wear high visibility clothing:
Be as bright and noticeable as you can be when you are on your bicycle. Adding reflective strips on your clothes, riding with a light on and making sure that you are in full leggings and gloves can be helpful to standing out against the background.
Look around often:
When cycling, you need to practice a great situational awareness. Cyclists need to be constantly focused on the road. This means taking out ear buds, looking around often and approaching any intersection with caution. Choose routes away from blind corners and make sure that you can slow down when facing areas with oncoming traffic.
Stay undistracted:
It’s easy for cyclists to get just as distracted behind the handlebars as drivers do. If you have a gps up for directions, make sure that you are only following it when you have pulled the side of the road. Don’t listen to music if you are on a busy road and try not to fix your attention on your bike speedometer if you have one.
Place your safety ahead:
Even though you have the right-of-way on the road, it’s important to plan routes where you want face as little danger as possible. It can be tempting to weave in and out of city traffic or to ride towards the middle of the lane to get more speed. Even though you have the right of way, it may be wiser for you to keep to the inside of a lane further away from traffic and keep at a slower speed especially when traffic is busy.
Follow the rules of the road:
You need to treat your bicycle just as you would any other vehicle on the road. This means biking in the correct lane, adhering to all traffic lights, staying with traffic and not weaving in and out of traffic. As soon as you slide up onto the sidewalk or try your luck biking through a stop sign, you are putting yourself at risk.
Keep some of these top ideas in mind if you are an avid cyclist. They could help you prevent a major accident in the future.
If you’ve been involved in a cycling accident contact our personal injury attorney today to seek compensation.
This post was written by Wendy Doyle-Palumbo. Wendy is a personal injury attorney in Pasco County at Wendy Doyle-Palumbo, Esq. Wendy has over 25 years of experience practicing law and has won several cases in helping those get the compensation that they deserve!
