May is Bicycle Safety Month
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is getting ready to focus on bicycle safety. Since May is Bicycle Safety Month, they’re encouraging riders and drivers to be “Roll Models.” Anybody can be a “Roll Model,” and all it means is that you’re focused on being a safe rider or driver and you’re setting an example for others. Officials with the NHTSA are hoping that the “Roll Model” program will help to decrease the risks of traffic crashes and preventable injuries and deaths associated with bicycles each year, and although May is Bicycle Safety Month, cyclists and drivers are encouraged to practice bicycle safety every day of the year.
Bicycle Injury and Death Facts
• In 2012, 726 people were killed in bicycle accidents involving motor vehicles.
• An estimated 49,000 people were injured in bicycle accidents in 2012.
• Between 2001 and 2011, there was an 8.9 percent increase in bicyclist injuries across the nation.
• The total cost of bicyclist injury and death is over $4 billion each year.
Bicycle Safety in San Diego
Bicycle safety in San Diego and along the Central Coast needs to be a top priority for motorists. Bicycle riders don’t have the same level of safety as passenger vehicle occupants. If you get into a minor fender bender with a car, everybody might be okay, but even striking a cyclist at relatively low speeds could send him or her to the hospital, or worse. Be a “Roll Model,” and show others how to respectfully look out for cyclists, pedestrians and other vulnerable roadway user groups.
Be a “Roll Model”
• Ride and drive focused- never distracted.
• Ride and drive prepared- expect the unexpected.
• Safety first- always buckle up in the car and wear your helmet when riding a bicycle.
• Rules of the road- a bicycle is considered a vehicle, with all of the rights and responsibilities of other vehicles.
• Sharing the road- drivers and cyclists need to look out for one another and show mutual respect.
After a Bicycle Accident
Bicycle accidents can leave victims in the hospital and out of work. You could be facing extensive medical bills and who knows how long without employment.
SOURCE: Harris Personal Injury Lawyers – Read entire story here.
