Keep yourself safe while biking during National Bike Month
ALPENA, Mich. – May is National Bike Month, and with bikes, comes the need for safety.
As we move into summer, one thing you’ll start to see is bicyclist on the road. So, here’s a few tips that will help drivers and bikers work together to stay safe.
“It’s always the interaction with motorists that worry us the most,” said Alpena Bike Shop owner Tommy Dowd.
He knows all too well the risk people take while bike riding.
According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration in 2019 846 bicyclists died in traffic incidents.
“The biggest problem for all of these people that are taking alternative forms of transportation are distracted drivers,” said cycling expert and lawyer Bryan Waldman.
Here are some tips for you to create a safe space on the road. Number one, be visible.
“That’s wearing brightly covered clothing, especially on anything like your legs or your feet that are moving,” said Dowd.
Number two,
“You also have an obligation to follow the rules of the road, just like a motor vehicle, ” said Waldman.
That means using proper hand signals when turning and riding on the correct side of the road your traveling.
“When you’re coming to intersections and stop signs, even if you’re on the side walk, sit in the drivers shoes,” said Dowd.
And of course, helmets, lights and reflectors are a plus.
For more information on bicycle safety you can visit michiganbicyclelaw.com.
