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Two-wheelers are one of the most adventurous vehicles among all. Bike, as a vehicle, is preferred by many as it is exciting as well as convenient to travel. However, statistics show that every year many riders experience life-threatening accidents.
Although bike accidents have been dropping, injuries caused by such accidents are very damaging and fatal. As a biker, you should always follow preventive and safety measures. Here are 7 tips to avoid bike accidents and falling victim toke serious injuries.
Follow These 7 Tips to Avoid Bike Accidents
1. Cars are the Main Cause of Bike Accidents
More than half of the total bike accidents happen because of cars. Bikes often collide with cars, which leads to deadly and non-deadly injuries on the riders. So, while riding a bike, one of the major things one should be careful of is cars.
A biker must make sure that he/she has their eyes open and clear carefulness from cars when riding on the road. Always be careful while turning left and right and look out for cars coming from the other sides. Invest much care on watching cars behind you through rearview mirrors. Always use direction signals while turning. You can also read the 20 Cycling Tips to get you started, allowing you to make the most of your newfound love for cycling while acting responsibly and within the bounds of the law.
2. Obey the Traffic Rules
Disobeying and callousness about traffic rules are a significant factor behind bike accidents. Many riders ride bikes on the wrong side of the road and turn illegally. So, it is mandatory to know about the strict rules and regulations, especially for bike riders to avoid accidents.
Bike riders should follow some basic guidelines to avoid accidents with cars and trucks. They should ride on the right-hand side. Moreover, obeying traffic rules, signals, and traffic lights are a must. Additionally, bikers should use hand signals along with indicators while turning, changing lanes, or stopping.
It is a common cause of rear-end car accidents to have an inexperienced driver in the vehicle. Because inexperienced drivers do not drive with proper control, they put themselves at higher risk for accidents. This is because most novice drivers do not pay attention to road conditions and other drivers on the road.
3. Maintain Proper Lanes
Many roads have a proper lane for bikers to ride their bikes. It recommended to ride a bike according to those lanes and avoid changing lanes every now and then. Also, bikers should avoid parked cars for any collisions.
Furthermore, some roads do not have any designated lanes for bikes. On those roads, one should try to stay on the right-hand side of the road and avoid any collision with passers-by or parked cars. In case you come across any obstacle on your way, avoid changing lanes without paying attention to vehicles coming from behind. You should avoid constant overtaking as well.
4. Check the Lights and Reflectors
Before starting your journey, always check whether the lights function correctly or not. Maintaining visibility at night times is absolutely critical to avoid any accidents. You should also maintain proper indicator lights that are visible from a distance.
Additionally, you can wear light-reflective or bright colour clothes and helmet at nights for other drivers to notice you without any problem.
5. Cross the Road-crossings Carefully
Road crossings are the second most reason for bike accidents. High-speed heavy vehicles can cause a severe collision when bikes cross the road without noticing or being noticed. The best way to avoid such accidents is to slow down while crossing a road.
Also, make sure to slow down your speed while crossing a roundabout. In addition, be extra careful while crossing intersections and non-intersections, particularly in urban areas.
6. Follow Extra Cautions on Highways
Highway accidents are one of the most common bike accidents. All the vehicles on highways are at very high speed for a continuous-time. Moreover, sometimes drivers do not pay attention to vehicles coming from behind or the other side of the road. So, it is paramount to follow extra safety measures while riding bikes on highways.
The first thing to do is to have all the lights functioning and visible. Most bikers ride bikes on highways at night. So, being visible on roads is undoubtedly crucial. Make sure you do not get caught in the dark. Use headlights on highways only.
Moreover, keep an eye on the rearview mirrors or side-mirrors now and then to check behind. And, as mentioned earlier, definitely wear bright and light-reflective clothes while riding bikes on highways.
7. Never Drink and Ride
While drinking alcohol and riding a bike maybe even more adventurous, chances of accidents go very high with always death as an end result. It is not necessary to say that none should drink and drive. Your chances of bike injury become almost sure and so never ever consume alcohol before riding a bike.
Conclusion
Bikes are one of the most popular and convenient vehicles. However, bike accidents are more common than any other vehicle accident as well. The 7 tips will help any rider avoid such dangerous accidents, so everyone must follow word-by-word. Being safe has no alternative at all.
