Driving Safe Around Cyclists

Driving Safe Around Cyclists is extremely important, but not often discussed or thought about. Bicycles are the same as cars when it comes to sharing the road, at least that is what the law states when it entitles them to share the road. But the facts are that Bicycles are smaller, slower, and harder to see. For this reason, added care from motorists is important to coexist with cyclists. This is especially important in communities such as I live in, where there is a high number of cyclists sharing the roads.

I’ve known several people killed by automobiles while they were on bicycles, one of them a relative. It’s something a lot of people don’t think about, but cyclists are killed every year on our roads. Safe driving habits can prevent these needless deaths.

AAA safety expert, Rhonda Shah, provides these top tips for driving safely when cyclists are around in an article by Eric Smillie for AAA’s magazine, VIA:

• Share the road. It helps to think of bikes as slow-moving cars: They have many of the same rights to the road as other vehicles, including the right to occupy the whole lane when there isn’t enough room for a car and a bike to fit safely side by side.
• Give them three feet. Nearly two-thirds of bicycle fatalities in the United States happen in places other than intersections. That’s a big reason why 27 states require motorists to put at least 36 inches between their vehicles and bicyclists when passing. If you’re driving fast or the weather is bad, leave even more space.
• Watch your blind spots. Bicyclists can easily be overlooked. Double-check your mirrors when changing lanes and making turns, and before opening your door after parking.
• Lay off the horn. Remember how loud it seemed the last time another driver honked at you? Imagine getting that blast right in your ear. Honking can startle bicyclists and make them swerve off the road or into traffic.
• Focus on kids. Children on bikes can be unpredictable because their motor skills and decision-making faculties aren’t fully developed. Take special care in places you’re most likely to encounter them – near schools and in residential areas – and be cautious when backing out of driveways.
• Dial up the patience. Bicyclists can only move so quickly. If you have to pass one, wait until it’s safe, and don’t tailgate. “We all have places to go,” Shah says. “Regardless of our mode of transportation, if we slow down and respect on another we can all get there safely.”

You can find out more for driving safely alongside bicyclists at sharetheroad.AAA.com