Best and Worst Places for Bicyclists

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San Diego was rated among the best cities in the U.S. for biking, this is according to a study done by PeopleForBikes. This is good news since San Diego weather is one of the best in the country and seeing a bike while driving is extremely common. According to the study, it was listed as one of the top cities because of the implementation of bike lanes and biker friendly roads. Although this is not something that was implemented city-wide, there are many streets with high traffic that do not have bicycle-friendly lanes.

According to injury statistics California, Texas, and Florida have the highest amount of bicyclist deaths, with San Bernardino being the city with the highest deaths in California. The study also mentions that in one year, the number of bicycle accident deaths has increased by 15%. However, deaths among people younger than 20 have decreased in the past few decades. According to personal injury lawyer, Merry Fountain, injuries from bicycle accidents can quickly turn fatal due to the impact, and in many cases, drivers take off, abandoning the victim with severe injuries.

Safety Tips For Bikers

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Despite living in a safe city, understanding a few safety measures you can take while riding can make a big difference. Here are a few tips you can remember no matter what city you live in.

• Wear a Helmet: It's now cool to wear a helmet, especially if you are riding to work every day and you bike through busy streets. A helmet could be a deciding factor on the severity of your injuries.
• Make Sure You Are Being Seen: No matter if it's day time or night time, reflectors and bright clothing is important to remember. For cyclists who do this for sport it's more important since they are riding in more risky zones. It's recommended to wear fluorescent colors, add flashing lights, or tape markings.
• Watch for Road Hazards: You never know what could throw off your balance, a ditch that might look small could send you for a loop, so it's important to always stay vigilant and watch for potholes, broken glass, gravel, or even dogs.
• Know the Rules of the Road: Wreckless bicycling is always a bad idea, but knowing a few rules can help avoid accidents and make it easier for cars to drive around you.
• Go with Traffic Flow: You are considered a car in most states, go with the flow, never against it.
• Remember to Yield: Know when and how to yield when it's appropriate. When there's no stop sign and you are coming from a small to large road, yield.
• Be Predictable: Follow a straight path, don't weave in and out of cars recklessly, this avoids surprises for drivers.
• Look Before Turning: Use hand signals and check before b-lining a turn.
• Watch For Parked Cars: Don't ride too close to parked cars. Ride far enough to avoid an open door being flung, or cars pulling out.

These little changes and tips could make a huge difference, whether you ride your bike for sport or to get to work, bicycle injuries can quickly turn deadly because of how vulnerable you are to a speeding car or truck. If you are curious as to where the least safe areas for bikers in your city, some places may have statistics on which area of your city frequents bicycle and pedestrian accidents. For example, a local Philadelphia law firm put together a study, outlining accident hot spots for pedestrians where most accidents were happening. Shockingly, in just four years at least 455 hot spots were identified where accidents were occurring at a high rate.

This is a common study done in other busy cities, even San Diego, despite having one of the safest areas for bicyclists. Keep these tips in mind now that warm months are upon us.