The summer is officially in full swing. The weather is warm, sunny and clear and more people are outdoors to enjoy a number of activities. As a result, there are even more people on the roads, including those on bicycles and motorcycles. Sadly, the summer is a time when there are more road collisions, many of which involve these two-wheeled vehicles.
Increase in Bicycle Collisions During the Summer
Groups that advocate for bicycle safety report that there is a higher number of crashes involving bicycles from May through September. In a frightening statistic, they state that around 11 percent of people killed in bicycle crashes are children, primarily those between the ages of 10 and 15.
The groups say this happens because many kids ride their bikes on the streets after school has ended and they have free time for summer break. Older kids tend to ride farther away from home than their parents allow, which can put them at risk for accidents, especially when traveling after dark.
Protecting Children on Bicycles
Of course, there are always going to be risks when kids ride their bicycles. However, that doesn’t mean you should not allow them to ride. Instead, you can take steps to ensure their safety when they’re on their bikes. The following can help protect your children:
Bicycle safety classes: Enrolling your kids in bicycle safety class can help them become familiar with basic bike safety and traffic laws so they can ride more safely.
Lights and reflectors: Installing lights and reflectors on bikes can help drivers to see young bicyclists on the road so they can avoid them.
Bells: Installing a bell on your child’s bicycle can help so they can use it to alert drivers and pedestrians of their presence.
Helmets: Always ensure your child has a quality bicycle helmet that they wear all the time when going out on their bike. It’s wise to make your child sign an agreement that they will wear the helmet at all times while on their bicycle. If they break the agreement, you can punish them by taking away the bike.
Know Your Rights
It’s important to remember that just like individuals in cars and trucks, people on bicycles and motorcycles also have rights on the road. Unfortunately, collisions can happen whether drivers adhere to the laws and rules of the road or not. It is absolutely devastating when you or a loved one is involved in a collision with another vehicle while on a bicycle or motorcycle. The injuries can also be much more serious due to the lack of physical protection around riders. Drivers of regular cars or trucks are required by law to operate their vehicles with reasonable caution, which includes watching out for those on other, smaller vehicles.
If you live in New York and you or your child has been injured in an accident while on a bicycle, you need experienced New York bike lawyers on your side. Contact Flanzig & Flanzig, LLP (888) 290-5994 to discuss your case with New York bike lawyers at your earliest convenience.