Bicycle Accident Claim
General Health & Safety Suggestions to a Avoid Bicycle Accident Claim
Suggestions to avoid a bicycle accident claim include:
- Let someone know your intended route and what time you think you’ll be back.
- Wear sunscreen on skin not covered by clothing.
- Take a drink with you to reduce the risk of dehydration.
- Pack identification, money and your mobile phone (if you have one) in case of emergencies.
- Don’t wear headphones. You need to hear what’s going on around you.
- Cycling shorts reduce the risk of skin irritation because the material doesn’t bunch and rub against your bum.
Road rules to avoid a bicycle accident claim
Suggestions to avoid bicycle accident claims include:
- Treat your bicycle as you would your car, and obey the road rules. Don’t ride on the wrong side of the road or coast through red lights, for example.
- Flag your intention to turn by hand signalling or using your indicators if your bicycle has them.
- When turning right, perform a hook turn from the left side of the road.
- Ride in a predictable way, about one metre out from parked cars.
- Cyclists are permitted to ride two abreast, but you should ride in single file in heavy traffic.
- You are permitted to overtake on the left, provided the vehicle you’re overtaking isn’t turning left or indicating an intention to turn left.
Visibility on the roads to avoid bicycle accident claims
Suggestions to avoid a bicycle accident claim include:
- Always wear brightly coloured clothing. It is harder for motorists to see you if you are dressed in dark or dull colours.
- Fluorescent fabrics markedly increase your visibility to other road users.
- Have lights fitted to your bike, front and back, for night riding.
- Reflective garments, including reflectors fitted to the back of your shoes, can increase your visibility at night.
Riding tips to avoid bicycle accident claims
Suggestions to avoid bicycle accident claims include:
- Altering your riding position from time to time reduces the risk of muscle overuse, stiffness and soreness.
- Pedalling in high gear for a long time will stress your knee joints. Switch to lower gears whenever you can.
- Maintain the same cycling rhythm when going uphill by changing gears.
- Once you’ve crested the hill, avoid the temptation to coast down the other side. Pedal a little bit to reduce the risk of lactic acid build-up in your leg muscles.
- Avoid using your brakes continuously when riding down a long hill, because you may overheat your brakes and consequently your tyres. Hot tyres are more likely to burst. Instead, apply the brakes gently and intermittently.
- Ride defensively. Don’t assume that car drivers have seen you. Make eye contact with car drivers when negotiating turns or intersections.
Riding on the footpath or pavement
Generally speaking, people aged over 12 years are not permitted to cycle on the footpath. However, there are exceptions to this rule, including:
- An adult who is supervising a young child on their bike is allowed to ride on the footpath with them.
- Riding on the road may not be safe for some people with certain physical or intellectual disabilities. Riding on the footpath is allowed, so long as the person has a medical certificate that outlines their exemption.
- Postal officers who are delivering mail are allowed to cycle on the footpath.
- When riding on the footpath, you must keep to the left whenever possible, and always give way to pedestrians.
Things to remember to avoid a bicycle accident claim
- Wearing a bike helmet reduces the risk of head injury by up to 60 per cent.
- Treat your bicycle as you would your car, and obey the road rules.
- Boost your visibility on the roads by always wearing brightly coloured clothing, and by fitting your bicycle with lights for night riding.
We can help with your Bicycle Accident Claim
David Healey at Carter & Carter Solicitors is very experienced in handling Bicycle Accident Claims as well as accident compensation claims relating to all types of serious injury and is a specialist dealing with accident compensation claims involving fatalities, catastrophic injuries and amputations.
Get in touch now about your Bicycle Accident Claim…
If you think that you have a case, would like to have a chat about a potential Bicycle Accident claim or require further information, contact David Healey.
Our Free phone number is 0800 652 0586
My Direct Dial is 01663 761 892
Email me on [email protected]