We’ve been talking a lot about bicycle safety in recent weeks, and it’s well warranted. Not only are we the nation’s most dangerous state for these kinds of accidents, but it’s also May, which means it’s National Bike Safety Month.
Our bicycle accident lawyers understand that there is a large focus on the riding habits of bicyclists and the safety skills of motorists when talking about preventing bicycle accidents. But do you know that there are other precautions that you can take to help to eliminate the risks for an accident? We’re talking about bicycle maintenance.
We’re checking in with Bicycling.com to get some of the best information on how to keep our bicycles as safe as possible. The truth of the matter is that each and every bicycle needs to undergo routine mechanical attention to help ensure safe riding. You need to keep an eye on its condition to help ensure quiet, efficient and safe riding. While there are some who would just rather take their bike to a shop and have a professional look at it, there are many of us handy enough to handle it ourselves.
We’re here with some basic repair and maintenance jobs — and even some upgrades:
1. Give your bike a visual exam. Make sure that the brake pads are smooth. Make sure your chainrings aren’t worn. Make sure there is still tread on your tires. When your tire loses its rounded profile and starts to get a flat spot, or when the base fabric cord begins to show through, it’s time to replace the tire.
2. Make sure you’ve got the proper tools to do the job. Some important items that you’ll need to properly maintain your bike are a spoke wrench, a chainwhip, a chainbreaker, lube, grease, tire levers and hex tools. With the right tools, you can fix just about anything.
Now you think you’re a professional bike rider, and that’s cool, but we can’t forget about our young ones. Children are at particularly high risk for bicycle-related injuries. In 2001, children 15 years and younger accounted for close to 60 percent of all bicycle-related injuries seen in US emergency departments, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
It is important to remember that a bicycle is not a toy; it’s a vehicle! Be careful – follow some basic safety tips when you ride, offered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Make sure your child always wears a helmet. Make sure they’re riding a bicycle that fits them. It’s also important to make sure that you’re always supervising your child when they’re out riding their bike. Don’t just stay in their vicinity, but actually watch them. Lastly, you want to make sure they understand the rules of the road and the workings of traffic. Their understanding can help to save their life.
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a bicycle accident, contact Freeman, Mallard, Sharp & Gonzalez, LLC for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights. Call 1-800-561-7777.
More Blog Entries:
Bicycle Accidents on the Rise in Florida, New Statistics Show, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, May 1, 2013
Bicycle Rally for Safety in Downtown Fort Lauderdale, South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog, January 17, 2013