Bicycle Safety

Air Date: 6/28/2004

Each year in the United States, there are approximately 800 deaths, 500,000 injuries treated in emergency rooms, and 1.2 million visits to physicians' offices or clinics that are attributable to bicycling.

Quick Overview of Tips for Bicycle Safety

• Ride a bike that is the right size for you.
• Check that the wheels aren't loose and your brakes work before each ride.
• When exiting a driveway, stop, look left, look right, look left again, and exit only when there is no traffic.
• Ride on the RIGHT with the flow of traffic.
• Stop at all STOP signs and all traffic lights.
• Do not ride in the wrong direction on one way streets.
• Use proper hand signals to indicate turns.
• Ride single file.
• Give the right of way to pedestrians.
• Carry no passengers (except on approved baby seats).
• Always wear your bicycle helmet when you ride your bike.

Before you begin to bike, here are 6 easy Steps to check if your bicycle is safe:

1. Make sure your bike is the proper size. A bike that is too big or too small will be hard to control. When you’re standing on the ground you should have a 1-3 inch gap between you and the top bar. You’ll need more room if you’re riding a mountain bike.
2. Check to see if your bike seat is adjusted to the proper height. When you’re sitting on the seat with your foot on the pedal, your leg should be slightly bent. This will help avoid knee strain.
3. Make sure you have a reflector on the front and rear of your bike. The rear should be red and should be at least three inches across. Make sure the reflector is pointed straight back to reflect the headlights of cars that are coming up behind you.
4. Check the bike’s chain to make sure it’s clean and lubricated. If it’s not, take it to the local bike shop for a check up.
5. Check your brakes for even pressure. They should make your back wheels skid on dry pavement, but you don’t want brakes that stick. Yikes!
6. Make sure your tires are properly inflated.

Make biking in city situations as safe as possible:

1. Always ride on the RIGHT. Remember to ‘go with the flow’. Never, ever ride against traffic. Cars will not be expecting to find a biker when they round a corner or go over a hill.
2. Ride single file. When passing other bikers or pedestrians, let them know your position by shouting out something like, ‘On your left!’
3. Always check behind you when changing lanes.
4. Watch out for dangerous things in the road way. Road litter, potholes, gravel and storm gates can all cause you to lose control.
5. Stop at all stop signs and at all street lights. Be extra careful at crossroads.
6. Always signal before making a left or right turn. To make a left turn: look behind you, hold your left arm straight out and proceed carefully. For a right turn hold you left arm out and up in an ‘L’ shape.
7. Keep control of your bike. Don’t swerve or make sudden turns. Drivers may not be able to react fast enough to avoid colliding with you.
8. Ride at least 3 feet away from parked cars. Someone could open their door unexpectedly and well, yikes!
9. Listen for cars approaching from the side or behind you.
10. Don’t follow cars too closely (you may be in their blind spot)
11. Know your road signs (ROAD SIGNS TEST) and obey them. A smart biker follows the rules of the road.
12. Always be prepared to stop. Keep your hands on or close to the brakes. What to wear when biking:
    • Fluorescent green, yellow or orange are all great choices. If you’re wearing these colors, other bikers, motorists and pedestrians will be able to see you better.
    • Look for fabrics that are cool and lightweight. (You can really work up a sweat biking!) If it’s cool outside, dress in layers. You can peel off clothing as you start to get warmer.
    • For riding at night (which we don’t recommend for anyone) you’ll need clothing with retro-reflective materials sewn onto it. You’ll also need one light source, like a headlamp.
    • Make sure the straps of your bookbag, loose clothing or anything else isn’t going to catch in the wheels of the bike, and cause you to lose control.

What NOT to wear when biking:

• Headphones are a no-no! You won’t be able to hear what’s going on around you.
• Clothing that’s too loose.
• Inappropriate shoes. (High-heels, Slippers, Bowling Shoes)
• Dark Clothes

Here are some ways to avoid the "danger zones":

1. Bikers should always stop and look for traffic when entering the road; especially from a driveway, alley or curb. Always stop at a stop sign or red light.
2. Go with the flow of traffic. Ride on the right, the same way as a car.
3. Avoid riding at night. Avoid dark conditions, narrow roads, and roads with cars traveling faster than 35 mph. If you have to ride at night, use reflectors, lights and retro-reflective clothing.
4. Be predictable. Ride in a straight line. Look behind you before changing lanes or turning, use your hand signal and proceed carefully.
5. Obey all traffic signs and signals. Walk your bicycle across busy intersections.

Some things in the street are more dangerous than you think!

• Wet leaves
• Puddles of water
• Patches of ice
• Loose gravel
• Rocks
• Broken glass
• Cracks in the road

Statistics

• In 2001, 134 children ages 14 and under died in bicycle-related crashes.
• In 2002, nearly 288,900 children ages 14 and under were treated in hospital emergency rooms for bicycle-related injuries. Nearly half (47 percent) of children ages 14 and under hospitalized for bicycle-related injuries are diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury.
• In 2002, children ages 14 and under accounted for 36 percent of bicyclists injured in motor vehicle crashes. It is estimated that collisions with motor vehicles account for nearly 90 percent of all bicycle-related deaths and 10 percent of all nonfatal bicycle-related injuries.
• More than 40 percent of all bicycle-related deaths due to head injuries and approximately three-fourths of all bicycle-related head injuries occur among children ages 14 and under.
• Children can be seriously hurt from colliding with handlebars during a fall, even in low-speed bike crashes. One national study of seriously injured bicyclists found that handlebar impacts accounted for 22 percent of injuries among non-head-injured children. Improper bicycle sizing may predispose a child to falling and expose more of his trunk to the handlebar.

When and Where Bicycle-Related Deaths and Injuries Occur

• Children are more likely to die from motor vehicle-related bicycle crashes at non-intersection locations (59 percent), during the months of April through October (80 percent) and between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. (65 percent).
• Nearly 60 percent of all childhood bicycle-related deaths occur on secondary roads. The typical bicycle crash with a motor vehicle occurs within one mile of the bicyclist’s home.
• Children ages 4 and under are more likely to be injured in non-street locations around the home (e.g., driveway, garage, yard) than are children ages 5 to 14.
• Children ages 14 and under are nearly four times more likely to be injured riding in non-daylight hours (e.g., at dawn, dusk or night) than during the daytime.
• Among children ages 14 and under, more than 80 percent of bicycle-related fatalities are associated with the bicyclist’s behavior, including riding into a street without stopping, turning left or swerving into traffic that is coming from behind, running a stop sign and riding against the flow of traffic.

Who Is At Risk

• Riding without a bicycle helmet significantly increases the risk of sustaining a head injury in the event of a crash. Non-helmeted riders are 14 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than helmeted riders.
• Children ages 10 to 14 are at greater risk for traumatic brain injury from a bicycle-related crash compared with younger children, most likely because helmet use declines as children age. Helmet use by children of all ages is lowest among children ages 11 to 14 (11 percent).
• Children ages 14 and under are five times more likely to be injured in a bicycle-related crash than older riders
• Males account for 83 percent of bicycle-related deaths and 71 percent of nonfatal injuries among children ages 14 and under. Children ages 10 to 14, especially males, have the highest death rate of all ages from bicycle-related head injury.
• More children ages 5 to 14 are seen in hospital emergency rooms for injuries related to biking than any other sport.

Bicycle Helmet Effectiveness

• Bicycle helmets have been shown to reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85 percent and the risk of brain injury by as much as 88 percent. Bicycle helmets have also been shown to offer substantial protection to the forehead and midface.
• Correct fit and proper positioning are essential to the effectiveness of bike helmets at reducing injury. One study found that children whose helmets fit poorly are at twice the risk of head injury in a crash compared with children whose helmet fit is excellent. In addition, children who wear their helmets tipped back on their heads have a 52 percent greater risk of head injury than those who wear their helmets centered on their heads.
• It is estimated that 75 percent of fatal head injuries among child bicyclists could be prevented with a bicycle helmet.
• Universal use of bicycle helmets by children ages 4 to 15 could prevent between 135 and 155 deaths, between 39,000 and 45,000 head injuries, and between 18,000 and 55,000 scalp and face injuries annually.
• Child helmet ownership and use increases with parent income and education levels, yet decreases with the child’s age. Children are more likely to wear a bicycle helmet if riding with others (peers or adults) who are also wearing one. In a national survey of children ages 8 to 12, 53 percent reported that a parental rule for helmet use would persuade them to wear a helmet, and 49 percent would wear a helmet if a state or community law required it.

Health Cares Costs and Savings

• The total annual cost of traffic-related bicyclist death and injury among children ages 14 and under is more than $2.2 billion.
• Every dollar spent on a bike helmet saves society $30 in direct medical costs and other costs to society.
• If 85 percent of all child cyclists wore helmets in one year, the lifetime medical cost savings could total between $109 million and $142 million.
• A review of hospital discharge data in Washington state found that treatment for nonfatal bicycle injuries among children ages 14 and under costs more than $113 million each year, an average of $218,000 per injured child.

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