‘Travel like you know them’: Road safety made personal
Earlier this summer, the UK government relaunched its THINK! road safety campaign, reminding people to ‘Travel like you know them’ to highlight the human cost of road traffic accidents. The...
It is an exciting time for road cycling as the 2022 Tour de France heads towards a spectacular finale on the Champs Elysees this Sunday, and the first Tour de France Femmes starts on the same day.
Whether you dream of wearing the ‘yellow jersey’ or simply want to enjoy a healthy and environmentally friendly way to get around, summer is also a great time for a cycle ride, especially if you’re a road cycling enthusiast.
While road cycling is an enjoyable and safe pastime, it’s important to stay safe and avoid the risk of a cycling accident.
Road cycling safety tips
Annabelle Turner is a specialist personal injury lawyer in our Swindon team. Formerly a keen cyclist, she knows only too well the dangers having been seriously injured in a cycling accident and losing her leg. She has 5 top road cycling safety tips to keep yourself safe on cycle rides this summer and beyond:
- Always wear a helmet. A helmet can’t protect you from everything, but studies show that it can reduce the risk of moderate head injuries by up to 70%.
- Know the Highway Code. If you’re cycling on the road, you are responsible for ensuring that you are riding with due care for other road users and pedestrians and staying focused. Awareness of the Highway Code can also help you ride with confidence in your including priority over cars (but below pedestrians) as part of the hierarchy of road users.
- Ride defensively, positioning yourself in the middle of a lane of traffic and away from kerbs if the road is busy, and always stay focused on traffic around you.
- Keep your road bike clean and well-maintained. Before you set out on a ride you should carry out some basic checks. Make sure your seat clamp and cranks are tightened, check your brakes (including replacing worn brake pads and making sure these sit correctly on the wheel rim) and ensure your tyres are fully inflated. Consider carrying a basic repair kit at all times.
- Be careful on hills and corners. It’s easy to reach high speeds when going downhill, but this is usually the point at which you are least in control of your bike and it is hardest to brake. When going round corners, especially downhill, be aware of the risk of oncoming traffic or unexpected obstacles, and slow down to avoid collisions.
Have you had a road cycling accident?
Our cycling accident specialists at Novum Law understand that accidents are not always preventable, and are often out of a cyclist’s control. If you or a loved one has been involved in a cycling accident that wasn’t your fault, our expert personal injury team may be able to help on a ‘No Win, No Fee’ basis. Call us free for a no obligation chat on 0800 884 0777, email us at info@novumlaw.com or complete our online enquiry form.
