Cycling is a very common form of transportation in Chicago. When traffic is bad, you can often get to your destination faster on a bike than you could in a car. It is also a cost-effective option for local college students and others.
That said, it is very dangerous. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that roughly 75% of all fatal bicycle accidents happen in urban areas. So if you are going to be riding around traffic, what can you do to stay safe?
Make yourself more visible
Lack of visibility is cited in many of these cases, with drivers saying that they never saw the cyclist. Wear bright colors. Put reflective strips of tape on your bike or your coat. If you ride at night, make sure you have lights on the bike and consider wearing a headlamp yourself.
Always obey traffic laws
Cyclists should always ride with traffic and should typically avoid riding on the sidewalk. They need to follow all stoplights and other traffic signals. Doing something unexpected significantly raises the chance of being struck by a vehicle.
Become a defensive rider
Understand that many accidents happen when drivers make mistakes. To this end, focus on defensive riding. Anticipate what drivers are going to do and what errors they may commit. If someone puts on their blinker to turn right and you are coming up behind them in the bicycle lane, for example, be wary that they may turn without checking their mirror or looking to see if there is a cyclist in the lane.
Focusing on safety is helpful, but accidents can still happen. Cyclists who suffer serious injuries must know how to seek financial compensation.