Despite a recent decrease, biking still remains quite popular in America. Because of this, it’s important for drivers to know how to handle cyclist safety. Knowing how to properly share the road can make things safer for both you and the cyclists….
Cyclist Safety: How To Share The Road
Keep your eyes open
Bike riders can sometimes be hard to spot on the road. This is especially true if you’re trying to check for them in your mirrors. Due to the fact that they aren’t as big as cars, they can slip into your blind spots pretty easily. This is why a large part of cyclist safety is keeping an eye out for them.
Make sure to fully check behind and beside you when you’re turning or switching lanes. Also, pay extra attention at intersections or when parallel parking on the street. Double check that a cyclist isn’t coming when you open your car door too!
Reduce your speed
Of course, cyclists can’t go as fast as cars. This means that being stuck behind a bike rider is often a point of frustration for drivers. However, it’s important for proper cyclist safety that you slow down when approaching one on the road.
Slowing down when getting near a cyclist does two things. One, it lets the biker know they don’t have to worry about you potentially hitting them. The other thing it does is alert drivers behind you that there’s something they need to be aware about. This prevents them from trying to speed up or go around and potentially cause an accident.
Pass when appropriate
It’s important to think of cyclists as you would other drivers. That means you should only try to pass them when it’s safe to do so. Trying to quickly pass them can just cause huge risks for them, you, and other drivers. Make sure there is plenty of space between you and the cyclist before attempting to pass. If you’re on a two-lane road, make sure there aren’t any other cars coming down the opposite way as well. Additionally, pass cyclists slowly to avoid causing them to lose balance and to avoid accidentally clipping them. Cyclist safety should be a priority on the roadway for