| Since 1994, there have been 40,000 fatal | | | | cyclists in California. From 2002-2006 there |
| accidents in the United States each year. The | | | | were 11 fatal rear-end bike accidents in the |
| scary thing for cyclists in California is | | | | state and many more accidents that resulted |
| that nearly 10% of them are happening in | | | | in injury. |
| their state. | | | | |
| | | | Rear end bike accidents can happen in a |
| With an increasing number of vehicles on the | | | | number of ways: when a cyclist is making a |
| road, cyclists need to be careful when it | | | | left turn and a driver doesn't see him in the |
| comes to their safety. While bike accidents | | | | lane, when a cyclist swerves to dodge an |
| only account for around 3% of California's | | | | obstacle without seeing the car behind them, |
| fatal collisions, there are hazards coming | | | | or when a driver doesn't see a cyclist on the |
| from each and every direction. | | | | road at night. |
| | | | |
| Side Crashes | | | | The best way to avoid rear-end accidents is |
| | | | to communicate your directional changes and |
| Usually when a cyclist gets hit on the side | | | | get quality safety gear including a mirror, |
| it doesn't prove to be fatal. Nonetheless, | | | | reflectors, a flashing red rear light, and a |
| you should still know how to protect yourself | | | | glowing safety triangle. |
| from side-impact collisions while biking. A | | | | |
| couple of the most common places for side | | | | Front Collisions |
| crashes to occur include intersections and | | | | |
| crosswalks. | | | | The front of the bike is the initial point of |
| | | | impact in over 80% of California's bike |
| California averages around 10 fatal | | | | accidents each year. There are numerous ways |
| side-impact bike accidents each year, with | | | | you may be involved in this type of bike |
| most of the crashes occurring on the right | | | | accident, but often times these are also the |
| side. You can prevent side collisions by | | | | most avoidable. |
| practicing safe biking habits such as | | | | |
| scanning every intersection, never assuming a | | | | Unlike rear-end collisions or some side |
| vehicle sees you, and communicating with | | | | crashes, the threat is always in your line of |
| others through signals and other methods. | | | | view. You can greatly reduce your chance of |
| | | | being in a bike accident by practicing good |
| The Rear End | | | | observation skills and being aware of |
| | | | possible hazards before they are too close to |
| While not nearly as common, rear end bike | | | | dodge. |
| accidents still pose a major risk for | | | | |