WE RESPOND TO YOUR NEEDS 414-271-1440
Wisconsin Bicycle Fatalities: Safety Tips for Sharing the Open Road
As new modes of ecological and economical transportation evolve, cycling appears to be gaining ground but sharing the open road with motor vehicles has not always been a smooth ride. The number of Wisconsin bicycle fatalities and instances of personal injury are on the rise. At the end of 2015, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation reported a total of nine deaths involving cyclists. It is reported that motor vehicle operators were primarily responsible for 58 percent of cyclist fatalities while 24 percent of cyclist fatalities were the fault of the cyclist.
Statistical data presented by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is even less optimistic. Cyclists are twice as likely as vehicle operators to experience personal injuries or fatalities while on the road.
To ensure the evolution of cycling, not only as a mode of transportation but as a enjoyable physical activity, The Wisconsin Bike Federation, (formerly Over the Bars Wisconsin), the country’s largest, statewide bicycle organization, offers the following safety tips for all cycling enthusiasts.
Avoiding the Hook
This tip concentrates on both the left and right hook. While riding through an intersection to avoid the “left hook” watch for motorists turning left across your path.
With regard to the “right hook” position yourself closer to the center of the right lane when passing through an intersection.
Ride Responsibly
- Never jump the curb and continue to ride on a sidewalk;
- Never weave in and out of traffic;
- Never ignore traffic signals or stop signs; and
- Never ride against the flow of traffic.
Sources:
https://overthebarsinmilwaukee.wordpress.com/2011/09/07/ask-not-what-motorists-can-do-for-you/
http://bfw.org/
http://cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6431a1.htm
