This blog is an excerpt taken with permission from a blog written by our friends at Plymouth Rock Assurance in May of last year. To read the entire blog post you may visit their site HERE. The weather is still great for taking a nice bike ride with the family. To stay safe keep these tips in mind.
Think about it. Besides the obvious health and environmental benefits of biking, gas prices, traffic, and parking are three major hassles (and expenses) you avoid every time you choose to ride a bike instead of drive. Stay safe. There’s much more work to do to make bicycling safer for all of us. Before you head out on the road, make sure you and your kids are ready to ride safely, with these guidelines from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:
- Protect your melon. Wear a helmet and save your brain from injury. If you’ve ever fallen off your bike, you know it’s worth every penny. Go helmet shopping with your kids and have them pick out one of these cool new styles. And if you do fall of your bike and smash your helmet, get a new one immediately, even if it doesn’t look cracked or broken.
- Give your bike the once-over. Check your tires, brakes, seat, and make sure your bike is good to go before you hop on and ride off.
- Follow the rules of the road. Be a good bike ambassador. Stop at red lights, brake for pedestrians in crosswalks, and signal (you remember those hand signals from your drivers ed days, right?) before you turn to let others know what you’re up to and where you’re going. Ride with traffic, but watch out for opening car doors in urban areas—don’t ride too close to stopped or parked cars, but when you must, slow it down. Commonwealth Avenue along Boston’s Back Bay is a good option because it has bike lanes on the left, rather than alongside the parking lane. Which reminds us: be aware of cyclists when you do drive. Give them some room. If you park your car in the city, check your mirrors for oncoming bikes before you open your door!
- Be seen and heard. Get lights for the front and back of your bike. Get a good bike bell.
- Pay attention. Don’t wear headphones. Ride defensively. Be aware of what’s going on around you. Have fun and ride safely!
To read the entire blog, click HERE.
