The first recorded traffic collision in the US occurred in May 1896 when Henry Wells, driving a Duryea motor wagon, struck and injured a cyclist. The cyclist wound up with a broken leg and Mr. Wells spent the night in jail. Things have changed since that time. In 2008, 716 cyclists were killed in traffic crashes and 52,000 were injured. Florida, the fourth largest state, led the nation with 125 bicycle deaths followed by California with 109.

Cycling has become a popular form of exercise and cyclists are appearing more and more on America's roads. More and more, cities are trying to make their roads friendlier to cyclists by creating cycling lanes but, for the great majority of roads, cyclists must share the same lanes with other traffic. All states have laws giving cyclists a right to use the road and requiring them to follow all the same laws and regulations that apply to motorists. Unfortunately, in many regions of the US where cycling is growing in popularity, tensions are growing between cyclists and motorists. When it comes to sharing the road, both motorists and cyclists need to understand the rules and exercise a little common sense.

Right-of-way

When it comes to who has the right-of-way, both cyclists and motorists need to understand that no one can take the right-of-way; they can only give it up to someone else. Courtesy on the road- even when it isn't returned - is critical to preventing conflicts and saving lives.

Motorists

• Motorists need to understand that cyclists have a right to the road and need to be alert to their presence. To avoid conflicts with cyclists, there are a few things that motorists need to know and understand.


• Cycles, whether motorized or not, have a small profile and can be difficult to see. Most of us expect to see cars but we don’t tend to look for or anticipate that there might be a cyclist in the area.


• Speed is a major contributor to collisions between motorists and cyclists. Speeding doesn't give you time to react if you encounter a cyclist around a curve or over a hill.


• Anticipate that there might be one or more cyclists over the next hill or around the next curve.


• Before making a right hand turn at an intersection, check for cyclists coming up in your right side blind spot.


• Before entering an intersection after a stop, check for cyclists approaching from the left. Look left, right, then, left again, before pulling out into the intersection.


• Be especially watchful for cyclists when making turns, either left or right.


• Allow at least three feet clearance when passing a bicyclist on the road.


• Look for cyclists before opening a car door or pulling out from a parking space.


• Yield to cyclists at intersections and as directed by signs and signals.
  
• Cyclists can stop much faster than a car; allow a greater following distance behind cyclists.


• When it appears that you will meet an oncoming vehicle and a cyclist at the same time, slow to let the other vehicle pass before attempting to pass the cyclist.
  Do not drive in a bicycle lane unless you are turning across it.

When the lane is too narrow to pass a cyclist safely, wait until the next lane is clear and give the bicycle all the rights of any other slow moving vehicle.

• Be especially careful around children riding bicycles.


• When encountering debris, potholes, or other obstructions, cyclists may need to "command the lane", meaning, they will need to move over into the center or left hand portion of the lane. Exercise patience and wait for a safe opportunity to pass.


• When roads are wet, they can be very slippery for a cyclist. Allow them extra room.

Cyclists

• All cyclists should wear properly fitted bicycle helmets whenever they ride. A helmet is the single most effective way to prevent head injury resulting from a bicycle crash.


• Always ride on the right hand side of the road with traffic.


• Cyclists are subject to the same rules of the road as any other vehicle operator. Obey all lane markings, signs, and signals.


• Cyclists should increase their visibility to drivers by wearing fluorescent or brightly colored clothing during the day, dawn, and dusk.


• When riding at night, increase your visibility by using a front light and a red reflector or flashing rear light, and use retro-reflective tape or markings on equipment or clothing.


• Be courteous to motorists, even if the courtesy isn't returned. It can help keep you alive.

Although you have a right to the road, if there is a conflict with a motorist, it is better to pull over and stop than to risk a collision.

• Don't try to force the issue of your "right to the road" by commanding the lane to slow down traffic. Pull to the right and allow traffic to pass whenever practicable.


• If you encounter an angry motorist, don't add fuel to the fire by making gestures or responding in any negative way. Your actions could push a motorist over that psychological edge into a "road rage" situation. Concentrate on your own safety.

Labels: bicycle safety, blind spot, driver safey, helmet, motorist safety, right-of-way

You may have experienced a situation where you started to change lanes or pass another vehicle only to see another vehicle alongside yours at the last instant. One report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) showed that 18% of collisions are "sideswipe" collisions involving vehicles in the process of changing lanes and crashing into a vehicle that the driver did not see. Another tragic consequence of blind spots is the large number of deaths due to a driver backing over a person (usually a child) who was hidden in the large blind spot behind the vehicle. The web site Kids and Cars reports that an average of two children per week are killed in back-over incidents.

Blind spots exist in all vehicles. Cars with higher rear ends, small windows and large headrests all contribute to the problem. These blind spots can be reduced, but they can't be eliminated completely. As a driver, there are a few easy steps you can take to reduce blind spots.

Adjusting the mirrors - Before you start the car, put on your seat belt and adjust your seat so that you are high enough to see ahead and reach all of the driving controls. From this position, adjust your interior rearview mirror to provide a full view outside your rear window. Once the interior mirror is properly adjusted, set your outside rearview mirrors so that the interior edge of the mirror shows the same view as the extreme edge of your interior mirror. Don't make the mistake of turning your exterior mirrors so far inward that you can see the side of your car. That view will prevent you from seeing vehicles coming up alongside in an adjoining lane.

Look over your shoulder - Even with your mirrors properly adjusted, you will still have blind spots to the left and right rear of your vehicle. You don't have to turn your body around to look for vehicles in your blind spot; just turn your head so that your chin is in line with your shoulder to allow your peripheral vision to take in the view behind. Before you turn your head, make sure the road ahead is clear and that you can afford to move your eyes off of the road ahead for no more than a second or two. Learn more about managing blind spots and how to back up safely.

Motorcycles and bicycles have a very low profile, requiring that drivers be especially alert for them. Bicycles are a particular problem when making a right hand turn at an intersection. Before turning right, check your right side blind spot for bicycles that may be approaching.

Avoiding the blind spots of other vehicles – You may have seen signs on the backs of large trucks that say "If you can't see my mirrors, I can't see you." That is also true for cars. When you are positioned to the left or right rear of a car ahead, look to see if you can see the other car's inside rearview mirror. If the view of that mirror is blocked, the other driver cannot see you. It is never wise to travel for any length of time in another vehicle's blind spot. If you find yourself in this position, pull up ahead (without breaking the speed limit) or back off until you are clear of the blind spot.

Large trucks and buses have large blind spots to the rear and each side of the vehicle. The trucking industry refers to these blind spots as "No-Zones." If you drive in one of these no-zones, the trucker will be unaware of your presence and may hit you when changing lanes. A good rule of thumb to avoid a large vehicle's no-zones is not only to be able to see the other vehicle's rearview mirrors but to see the driver's face in his rearview mirror.

Backing up - Even small cars have an amazingly large blind spot directly to the rear. Consumer Reports has measured rear blind spots on a variety of vehicles since 2002. Medium sized SUVs and minivans have blind spots of up to 23 feet behind the vehicle and average sized sedans have rear blind spots of up to 17 feet. Before backing up, especially if your household includes small children, check the rear of the vehicle for hazards.

Manufacturers are creating new technological innovations to reduce blind spots:

Mirrors - There are extra wide concave mirrors available from auto parts suppliers that clip onto your current mirror and extend the interior view out to the sides by a significant amount.

Sonar - Some vehicles have sonar that warns a driver of objects behind when backing up, but they can be unreliable; snow, rain, and fog can affect their performance. Small objects or children that are not directly in the path of the sonar beam can also be missed.

Blind spot detection systems - These systems provide a warning tone and a visual warning by flashing a light in a side view mirror when a vehicle is detected in the blind spot. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) warns that these can be unreliable, because drivers do not always check their outside mirrors or tend to ignore them when they give continuous warnings in heavy rush hour traffic.

Rearview camera systems - This is a new and surprisingly cheap technology that gives a full view to the rear of the vehicle on a monitor attached to the dash or the interior rearview mirror. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) suggests this technology as one of the best available to avoid back-up collisions. These systems are readily available and can be easily installed on an existing vehicle.

Labels: blind spot, driver training

As a parent, nothing is more disturbing than the thought of losing a child. Unfortunately, this happens to a significant number of parents each year when they get in a car and back over a child who couldn't be seen behind the vehicle.

Statistics on this issue are hard to come by, and it is believed that the reported incidents don't fully cover the extent of the problem. One source of information on this issue comes from Kids and Cars, a website devoted to education and awareness of this and other matters involving children and motor vehicles. This group estimates that two children a week are killed this way. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 2,767 children were victims of reverse/back over injuries between July 2000 and June 2001. This estimate comes from data obtained from computerized reports of hospital emergency rooms.

Many drivers don't realize just how large a blind spot exists behind their vehicle. According to Consumer Reports, a sedan has a blind spot of up to 11 feet behind the car, a minivan has a blind spot of up to 18 feet, and a large pickup truck results in the driver’s view being obscured for up to 28 feet to the rear. It is difficult to see a child in such large blind spots.

Technology offers some solutions. Backup sensors can warn a driver of an object behind the car. Backup cameras are offered as options on many new vehicles, and wireless cameras can be purchased at a relatively low price. Video displays can be mounted on the dash or visor. They offer a wide angled view of the area behind the vehicle, and provide night vision capability. Kids and Cars is pushing for federal legislation that will require auto makers to install these technologies on all new cars.

Although technology can make a difference, it can't relieve the driver of the responsibility to back-up safely. The following tips may help:

1) Check behind the vehicle for any obstructions before getting in and starting up.
2) Don't depend on your mirrors to provide a full view to the rear of your vehicle.
3) Look over your shoulder to check your blind spots.
4) Back up very slowly.
5) Be prepared to stop at the slightest bump.
6) Teach your child to walk around vehicles where they can see the driver and the driver can see them.

Labels: blind spot, child safety, vehicle