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Bicycle Safety

A recent Consumer Reports article said that, bicycle riders who go without a helmet are roughly seven times as likely to suffer head injuries in a crash and those who sustain a head injury are 20 times more likely to die than a rider with a helmet.

It is now law in California that all bicycle riders under the age of 18 must wear a helmet.

American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the Snell Memorial Foundation, and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) are organizations that set performance standards. Manufacturers mark their helmets with the logo of one of the foregoing organizations to signify they meet those safety standards. The ANSI is the least severe of those three. Helmets without a logo should not be used.

Cycling Accidents

A review of bicycle accidents shows a variety of factors contribute to the typical mishap. Inattention to obstacles in the bicycle path, losing control because of excessive speed, maneuvering to avoid other vehicles or pedestrians and alcohol lead the way. Cyclists who are killed or seriously injured have frequently violated a Law or safety rule.

Examples

• Several adult friends were bicycling down a steep hill. One was unprepared for a turn at the bottom of the hill and ran off the road. He died from massive head injuries when his head impacted a tree. A protective helmet was not worn.
• An young man failed to yield the right of way to a car and struck the vehicle. Though he was knocked unconscious, he quickly recovered. The protective bicycle helmet he was wearing saved his life and prevented disabling injuries.
• While riding a bicycle at lunch time, an a cyclist was distracted and drove off a curb. He fell off the bicycle and struck the pavement He sustained a fractured wrist and multiple contusions. No helmet was worn. He lost 60 days from work.
• A adult was riding his bicycle on a narrow two lane road. A car backed out into his path. He applied his brakes, stopping the bicycle. However he flipped over the handle bars onto the road because of the sudden stop. He received a collapsed Lung, fractured rib and separated shoulder. He was wearing a bicycle helmet which prevented more serious injury. He lost 15 days from work.
• A father was riding a bicycle with his son side-saddled on the bike frame. His son's foot became entangled in the front wheel spokes causing the bicycle to flip. Both were thrown to the pavement. The father was knocked unconscious, suffered head trauma, a broken collar bone and multiple lacerations. He lost 14 days from work. Neither of the riders wore a bicycle helmet.

Recommendations

• Wear an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) or Snell Memorial Foundation approved bicycle helmet.
• Dress for the weather. In cold weather, it's better to wear several layers of clothing than one bulky item. To be more visible, wear bright or light colors, and at night, wear reflective clothing.
• Use clips or rubber bands to keep long pants out of the chain.
• Wear comfortable, lightweight low cut shoes with firm soles to protect your feet.
• Check for proper air pressure and tire tread.
• Adjust the seat and handlebars to fit and tighten loose parts.
• Clean and oil moving parts, keeping oil off rubber.
• Check the brakes. They should allow you to make a quick, smooth stop.
• Obey all traffic signals, signs and pavement markings.
• Ride on the right side of the road, close to the edge. If in a group, ride single file at least one bike length apart. Infants under the age of one year should not be carried as bicycle passengers.
• Avoid potholes, bumps, ice , oil slicks, loose gravel, sand, and sewer grates.
• Watch for parked cars with people in them someone could open a door unexpectedly. Constantly look for cars pulling out into traffic.
• Do not carry passengers on a one-person bicycle. Keep packages in a luggage carrier so both hands can be on the handlebars.
• Be alert. Give pedestrians and vehicles the right of way.
• At night, ensure you have a working headlight visible for 500 feet, a red rear reflector and side reflectors.
• Stop before entering a roadway from a sidewalk or driveway.
• Ride only on authorized streets or highways. Select streets with low traffic usage whenever possible. Use bicycle paths where available.

After Dark

To help reduce nighttime bicyclist fatalities, cyclists should always wear a good helmet, use front and rear lights and reflectors, and wear reflective clothing. Children should never ride at night, and cyclists should avoid riding on unlighted, narrow roadways.

The number of bicyclists killed at night has increased from 304 to 372 per year. In 1975, the number of nighttime deaths accounted for 30% of the total number of bicyclists killed. By 1982 (the latest year for which complete data are available), nighttime deaths accounted for 42% of the total number of bicyclists killed. One factor contributing to fatal nighttime bicyclist accidents is that the bicycles and riders are not readily visible to motorists. Motorists involved in car/bicycle collisions report that they hit bicyclists because the bicycles and riders were not visible. Cyclists' failure to wear protective helmets may have also contributed to the severity of head injuries suffered in car-bike collisions.

Night time cycling safety

1. Be sure your bike has reflectors required on all new bicycles. Each bike should have front and rear reflectors, pedal reflectors, and side rim or wheel reflectors. Use front and rear lights (as required in many States) to help make your bicycle more noticeable to cars at night. Small battery-operated lamps strapped to your legs also help.
2. Wear reflective clothing to make yourself more visible to automobile drivers. Wear a reflective vest, reflective bands on arms and legs, and reflectorized tape on helmet.
3. Always wear a good helmet with a rigid (but crushable) interior material which may help absorb the force of an impact. (This is important for daytime riding, too.)
4. Never allow children to ride at night.
5. Avoid riding on dark, narrow roadways where the posted speed limit is more than 35 mph.

For more information on bicycle safety write:

Bicycle Federation
1818 R St., NW
Washington, DC 20009

U. S. Cycling Association
1750 East Boulder St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80909