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

The debate keeps raging throughout the states as to whether or not motorcycle helmets are a necessity and whether or not they actually save lives. Advocates for helmet-free riding cite the discomfort of helmets, the fact that they limit hearing and vision, and the belief that the extra weight causes neck injuries. They also state that the government should not determine whether or not a rider should have to wear a helmet.

Currently twenty states have universal helmet laws requiring everyone who rides to wear a helmet. Three states have no laws and the remaining twenty six states have some sort of modified law. In 2000 Florida changed its universal law to require everyone under the age of 21 to wear a helmet but left wearing a helmet as an option for anyone over 21 who has at least $10,000 in health insurance. Florida currently accounts for 9% of all motorcycle fatalities nationwide and, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), in the years after the law went into effect, motorcycle deaths in Florida increased by 25%.

The National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that helmets reduce the fatality rate for motorcyclists by 37%. Their studies also show that un-helmeted riders are three times more likely to suffer traumatic brain injuries compared to helmeted riders. The Center for Disease Control says that the average costs to treat traumatic brain injury run about $150,000 in the first year of a multi-year treatment plan. Much of the cost for medical treatment, rehabilitation, and disability payments become a taxpayers challenge. That is one of the primary reasons why state governments feel they have the right to pass and enforce helmet laws.

To fully understand this issue, it's important to understand what happens in a motorcycle crash and how the helmet works.

Every crash obeys the laws of physics. Newton's first law of motion states that an object in motion tends to remain in motion, meaning that, once the motorcycle's travel comes to an abrupt halt, the rider will continue to travel at the same speed he was going before the bike stopped until something else acts to stop his travel; usually the concrete roadway. Newton's law also states that Mass X Velocity = Force. That means that a rider weighing 160 pounds won't hit the concrete with a force of 160 pounds but with a much greater force. By using an on-line force calculator, we can compute that a 160 pound man flying off the bike at 25 mph and coming to a stop within 5 feet, will strike the concrete with a force of 669 pounds. Once the rider's head hits the concrete, his brain, cushioned only by a very thin layer of cerebrospinal fluid, will also follow Newton's law until it presses up against the skull. There is no way to break the laws of physics but you can take steps to lessen their force with the use of a motorcycle helmet.

A good helmet can act to absorb and distribute the force of the impact, and thus, lessen the impact on the rider’s head. It does that in two ways. First the fiberglass shell of the helmet takes the full brunt of the force and dampens it by cracking and distributing the force around the outside of the helmet; this is similar to the way a car's body is designed to crush in order to protect the car's interior. Second, a good foam lining provides a cushion, somewhat like a car's airbag, to slow the speed of the head before impact. Without a helmet, the skull itself cracks and, with the forces involved, the tiny bit of fluid surrounding the brain is not adequate to cushion the brain. Multiple studies show that the brain injury rate and the number of fatalities are greatly reduced when a rider wears a helmet. Studies also show that the weight or rigidity of a helmet has little impact on neck and spinal cord injuries.

To help you select a good helmet, there are a lot of web sites for motorcycle enthusiasts with articles on the pros and cons of various helmets and advice on how to select the best one for you. Visit TestQuestionsandAnswers.com for more information on motorcycle safety and a motorcycle practice test.

Labels: helmet, motorcycle, motorcycle safety