Bicycle Safety Attire/Equipment

We have previously discussed bicycle safety tips that all cyclists should observe and master – however in addition to riding/operating your bicycle in a safe manner all cyclists can be more safe simply by wearing equipment/clothing that makes them more visible.

“Drivers are looking for cars and trucks, not cyclists. The brighter your clothing the more visible you are. Remember, your bicycle is small and inconspicuous. It is not easily seen. Do all you can to make sure you’re seen.” California DOT.

“See and be seen: wear clothes that make you more visible.” National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA)

“The most common error cyclists make is assuming a driver sees them.” Bicycle Times, Issue 14 12/01/11

Even if a bicyclist operates his/her bicycle as safe as possible, an accident can still occur. A bicyclist should try to operate his/her bicycle in a manner so an automobile operator can see them; this is why even if operating a bicycle completely safely, accidents can still happen – because an automobile driver operates his/her vehicle negligently and hits a bicyclist because the driver was not paying attention.

Bicycle safety attire is designed in order to make a bicyclist more noticeable/standout more, so that it decreases the chances that an automobile driver could possibly miss seeing a bicyclist. This attire is usually reflective (reflects the automobile driver’s lights/sunlight back towards the automobile), is bright in color, and stands out to all drivers.

In addition to safety attire/clothing, make sure that your bicycle is equipped with a tail light and a headlight, and they are properly working and turned on when riding at night, or when daylight is limited. In Colorado, this is a legal requirement at night. C.R.S. § 42-4-204; §42-4-221. We recommend that all bicyclists read and are familiar with Colorado bike laws. C.R.S. § 42-4-1412.

Unfortunately, bicycle accidents do occur and due to the impact between a motor vehicle and a bicycle severe injuries often occur (traumatic brain injury, spinal injuries, contusions, and sprains and strains). This is why it is always necessary to wear a bike helmet – a helmet can be reflective and make you more noticeable to vehicles, but just as important, helmets can protect bicyclists from experiencing more severe injuries.

If you, or a friend/family member, have been involved in a bicycle accident contact Roberts Accident Law, LLC. We are a personal injury law firm that works on contingency, meaning it does not cost you any money for us to start working on your case and you do not pay us $1 if we don’t help to get you money for your case. We offer free consultations (720)515-7058.

For more information about bicycle safety and bicycle safety attire/equipment, we suggest visiting the following sites:

http://www.seemewear.com/

http://bicyclesafe.com/

http://colobikelaw.com/coloradolaw.html