Staying Safe While Cycling on the Road

Alf Hart is a lawyer who advises firms like first4lawyers.com on issues relating to road traffic accidents….including those involving bikes.  Sure this guest post is intended to send traffic to their website, but anything that has to do with the notion of keeping us cyclists safer on the roads is fine by me.

Staying Safe While Cycling on the Road

By Alf Hart

Riding a bike can be fun, especially when you’re riding purely for enjoyment rather than to get to work or go on a shopping trip. However, it can be dangerous, as you never know what dangers are out there on the road.  The majority of car, van and bus drivers are considerate and take into account the safety of everyone else, be they cyclists, fellow drivers, passengers or pedestrians.  However, there are a handful of reckless drivers on the road who aren’t as careful, and they’re not the only problem.

Cyclists have to be very careful when the weather’s not right – in heavy rain, snow or when there’s black ice on the road or pavement, you could end up slipping which may result in a very serious injury that could take weeks, months or even years to heal fully.  This is where staying safe and avoiding accidents is important, but how can you make sure you stay free from the threat of injury and avert having to go to someone like medicalsolicitors.co.uk for help if you have to face massive costs in the event of being injured in a road traffic accident?

The first thing to do is make sure you’re wearing the correct safety equipment.  When riding a bike of any description, it’s important to wear a helmet to protect against any head injuries, while wearing the appropriate cycling gear will minimise the impact of any injuries sustained to other parts of your body.  It’s also important to make sure that your bike is stable.  Checking everything before you start riding such as if the wheels are working and if the seat is secure.

When riding, you should also keep your eyes open for anything such as reckless driving or if there’s a car about to come across from the left or right.  Do this regularly, and you’ll be doing your bit to ensure you’re safe on the road.  However, there are some things you can’t vouch for, and if you do suffer a serious injury, where can you go for help (if needed)?  There’s a chance that serious injury may mean you have to take time off work, which may harm your finances.  This is where making one of those no win no fee claims from first4lawyers could help.

A compensation claim against the motorist at fault for your injury will do two things: replenish your finances and achieve justice.  Some may think that riding a bicycle on busy roads is a bad idea, but it’s environmentally friendly and good for your health, plus it’s better and cheaper than owning a car.  If you respect the safety of others on the road, they should do the same for you too.