7 Safety Tips for Riding Your Bike at Night

You may ride your bike at night because you love the peace and solitude, or you may be biking at night because that’s when you need to get to work. Either way, there are safety tips you should know if you’re riding your bike in the dark. Even in an area with street lights, you will still have reduced visibility, and so will the drivers you share the road with. Following these tips will help you stay safe.

1. Beware of the Weather

Before you embark on a bike ride, it would be best to know the weather forecast. If the weather is too stormy and extreme, then riding may not be the best idea.

2. Put On Reflective Gear

Cycling reflective clothing allows you to cycle safely and stylishly. It can be attached to the wheels, knees, ankles, and even the tires. Go for gears that are highly reflective as they will draw attention to you.

3. Make Sure Your Bike Is in Good Shape

Before riding it, check your bike out to make sure everything is in working order. Check the tires, the wheels, and the chain, and make sure the chain is lubricated. You’ll also want to make sure your tires aren’t over inflated because it can lead to a flat tire or a blowout.

4. Cycle In Well-Lit Areas

If possible, try to use routes that are well-lit. You should also have one or two lights on your bike. Typically the front light is white and the rear light is red. Having both lights is the best option because if one of the lights fails, you know you have the other light to back you up.

5. Be Familiar With Your Route

Try to familiarize yourself with the roads you cycle on, not just during the day but also at night. You can also map out the area. Look for well light streets and avoid the poorly light ones. You do not want to find yourself in the wrong place and the wrong time or end up getting lost.

6. Be a Mechanic

In case of any mechanical issues, be prepared to handle them. Make sure you have the necessary tools with you in case you get a flat or need to change the inner tubes.

7. Know the Traffic Laws

“Rules were meant to be broken” is a popular cliche, but it’s not a good idea to break the rules when it comes to the cycling laws. If you get into an accident due to a driver’s negligence, you may want to call that lawyer. Your attorney will need to prove the following elements for your case to be successful:

• Damages: Failure to exercise care and caution is regarded as carelessness. The plaintiff must prove that they were injured and their damages are a result of the injury.
• Duty: It must be proven that the driver owed a duty of care to you.
• Breach of duty: The lawyer must prove that the defendant breached that duty of care. Breach of duty is regarded as a failure to exercise reasonable care.
• Cause of fact: The plaintiff is required to prove that the defendant’s actions in breaching the duty lead to the injuries they sustained in the accident.

You can follow this link to learn more about the four elements of liability a lawyer has to establish in a bicycle accident case.

 

By following the tips laid out in this article, you cannot completely eliminate the chance you’ll be in an accident, but you can greatly increase the odds you’ll stay safe.