Summer in Alabama means more bicycles and motorcycles on Alabama roads. In 2008, 182 people were injured in Alabama bicycle accidents. From 1999 to 2008, 72 people were killed in Alabama bicycle crashes. The easiest bicycle safety rule is to always wear a helmet; however, wearing a helmet will not prevent a cyclists or child from being hit by a car. www.Bicyclesafe.com is a great website that provides "Ten Ways Not to Get Hit" by a car. This list of bike safety tips explores the most common way bikes riders are involved in car v. bike accidents. The site also offers general bike safety ideas such as:
Always light up;
Avoiding busy streets;
Signal your turns;
Taking the whole lane when appropriate;
Re-think music players and mobile phones; and
Ride as if you were invisible.
For information on teaching children bike safety visit
http://www.ibike.org/education/safety-kids.htm
Nhtsa and bike safety
