How to Become a “Roll” Model and Avoid Bicycle Accidents in Los Angeles

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Biking is a good hobby as it provides you with lots of benefits. First, it gives you the capability to go around different places. Biking gives you the mobility at less expense since you won’t have to spend money on fuel, which also makes this hobby environment-friendly. It also lets you go on places less traveled where cars just can’t be driven. Biking also promotes fitness as it helps you exercise different muscle groups, improves your reflexes and cardiovascular system functions.

Responsibility in biking

However, biking is not just all fun. For one, bikers should be responsible enough, not just in ensuring the safety of one’s self but also of the people around them. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been encouraging all users of public roads, not just motorists but bicyclists as well, to respect each other. Mutual respect among all road users helps promote a safe transportation environment. Bikers, like all road users, have rights and responsibilities. That is why the NHTSA has been promoting biking safety through continuous research, education, and enforcement of bicyclists’ and motorists’ behavior. This way, safety on the road can be enhanced while lessening instances of biking injuries and fatalities in the country.

How can you be a “Roll Model”

The NHTSA came up with a campaign on how one can be a “Roll” model on the road. This program helps promote biking responsibility, fostering a safer environment on the road. In the campaign, the NHTSA asks every biker to exercise the following:

• Focused riding and driving. Always remain focused and never give in to distractions.
• Prepared riding and driving. Make it a point to do the necessary preparations before going and riding your bike. Always be ready for unexpected things.
• Putting Safety First. In anything that people do, one must make sure that safety is prioritized above everything. Wear a bike helmet whenever you go on a ride.
• Be a law-abiding citizen. Following traffic laws is critical in ensuring the safety, not just for you but for everybody on the road.
• Share the road. Roads are not specifically made for bikes. A Los Angeles bicycle accident attorney reminds that roads are for vehicles, motorcyclists, and pedestrians too. Sharing the road by showing respect to others will help prevent accidents from happening.

A Los Angeles lawyer believes that bicyclists’ rights deserve to be observed as well. But he reminds all bikers that one best way to be able to earn the respect of other road users is by following the rules given above and showing respect to others as well. Such good attitude will make others respect you more and your rights as well. Being a “Roll” model may be hard, but it is not at all impossible to do; for exerting extra effort and trying to go the extra mile will do you good.

Bicycle Accidents: Statistics and Safety Tips on How to Avoid Them

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Bicyclists are considered part of the road, and that they must share the road with other motorists. Since this is so, bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as the latter, especially when it comes to following traffic rules. But then, while bicyclists are able to pass through designated bike lanes, they often have to drive alongside larger vehicles.

For the most part, bicycles are just miniscule compared to larger vehicles. Establishing presence on the road is very important, especially for cyclists; without that, an accident involving a car and a bike may possibly occur. Such mishaps often result in injuries and even death, and a common reason for it is distracted driving, particularly on the part of the motorist.

Related statistics on bicycle accidents

Basically, bicycle accident fatalities only account for just about 2 percent of all motor vehicle crash deaths. In fact, a total of 675 bicyclists were killed in 2011, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

It is also alarming to know that the said figure was a 10 percent increase from the previous year. Overall, though, bicycle deaths have decreased by 33 percent since 1975, the year the NHTSA first compiled statistical data on motor vehicle accident injuries and deaths.

Safety tips on how to avoid a possible bicycle accident

Meanwhile, if you occasionally ride a bike, either for leisure or for school or work, then you should consider these safety tips so that you can avoid becoming a statistic:

•    Take full control of your bike. Before taking your bike for a ride, it must first be properly-adjusted so that you can fully control it while traveling down the road. Since it is very necessary that you control your bike especially when traveling with other vehicles, you must never attempt to do so while you under the influence.

•     Always wear your helmet. Majority of the injuries and deaths in bicycle accidents involve head trauma, which is why it is very important for you to wear a helmet. It is said that using your helmet reduces the risk of a head injury by about 85 percent. While most bicycle helmet laws in 21 states and Washington, D.C. only apply to young drivers, it is necessary that riders of all ages must wear them.

•    Establish road presence. Drivers are not very much aware of whether or not there are bicycles moving past on either side of their vehicles. This is another reason why car-bicycle collisions happen. To avoid this, it is important for you, the bicyclist, to let your presence known to other motorist through making hand signals and driving on the direction of traffic. When driving at night, you must be able to wear any reflective clothing, as well as lights and reflectors installed on your bike.

What to do in case of an accident

However, if you ever get involved in an accident with a motorist, then it could be grounds for filing a personal injury claim, especially if you believe there was negligence. In this regard, you must not only seek medical attention if you have any minor or major injuries, but should also consider retaining the legal services of a Los Angeles bicycle accident attorney.

What One Needs To Know About Biking

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Living a healthy life
Everybody needs to stay fit as a healthy lifestyle helps one enjoy a full and quality life. That is why more and more people are trying to live the healthy way. Walking or running is a very popular form of cardio exercise. However, when you walk or run, various joints on your body like the ankle and knee gets subjected to great levels of impact. While this is normal, extended exposure to these can accelerate the wearing out of these joints, causing injuries in the long term.

Biking: The great alternative
According to studies, riding a bike is the best cardio exercise alternative for walking and running. The circular motion of pedaling the bike lets one simulate walking or running motion minus the harmful impact on your joints. When you ride your bike, you can also go to places without the need to take your car and use fuel. That is why more and more people are getting their own bikes and start using it more frequently.

The dangers of biking
When one person rides a bike, he or she is subjected to a great deal of danger. Regularly, you can hear about accidents involving bikers that leave individuals injured. Bike accidents can be caused by one’s self, or because of someone else’s negligence. Due to the lack of extensive safety equipments on bikes, riders can suffer from head injuries that can significantly affect their health. Head injuries can be mild or severe, depending on the amount of blow or impact one receives. The negative effects and treatment of these types of injuries would then depend on how serious the injury is.

Getting responsible people accountable
A Los Angeles bicycle accident attorney explains that personal injury laws offer different kinds of remedies to bike accident victims. If the injury that one person receives while biking is caused by one’s negligence, the victim may ask for damages that can help him or her in the treatment of his or her injuries. If one has been a victim of a bicycle accident and he or she believes that the accident was brought about by one’s negligence, all that one need to do is to file up a complaint against the responsible party.

Biking with care
Even though there are remedies for victims of bike accidents it is still better to avoid the situation than be caught up in situations like these. More than all of these safety equipment that you can buy and use, practicing safe riding techniques will not only keep you away from harm’s way, it can also help you enjoy biking more, helping you enjoy the great benefits of biking minus the hassles.

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