Knowing the rules of the road can help prevent bike accidents and injuries.
Riding a bike on city streets for your daily commute or just for fun can be a great way to enjoy the outdoors and get some exercise to boot. Unfortunately, about 19,000 cyclists get injured in traffic accidents every year. When it comes to navigating city streets safely, knowing the laws that apply to cyclists and to cars is very important. Here’s a brief overview of the bike laws geared towards preventing bike accidents in Los Angeles.
Knowing Where to Ride
The first thing to realize is that bicycles have the right to ride in the street even when there is no dedicated bike lane. In most cases you will be riding slower than the rest of traffic, in which case you are required by law to ride to the right side of the road. However, you only have to ride as far right as is safe or practicable, which means you do not need to brave treacherous shoulders no matter how much cars honk. If you are on a two-lane road with no passing zones and end up with a line of 5 or more cars behind you, you must turn off at the next safe location to allow the cars to pass.
You are also allowed to ride on the sidewalk within LA city limits. However, riding on the sidewalk is actually more dangerous than riding in the street in some ways. Drivers are usually not expecting cyclists to appear from the sidewalk and may not see you in time to avoid an accident.
Dealing with Cars
When riding in the street, the basic rule of thumb is to do everything a car would do—ride with the direction of traffic, signal your turns and lane changes, always pass on the left, always turn left from the left hand lane, obey all traffic signals, and always yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk.
Also, beware of riding along beside parked cars. Although under the law drivers are responsible for checking for cyclists before opening their doors, in practice you are better off being safe than sorry so you may want to ride at least 3 feet from parked cars.
Staying Alert
California has laws on the books that provide penalties for riding while wearing headphones in both ears or while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Besides being illegal, riding while impaired in these ways would also be unwise because it could dull your reactions in the event of a dangerous incident and lead to an accident.
After a Bike Accident
As long as you are careful to abide by the rules of the road, it is highly likely that any bike accident you do get into will not be your fault. If this is the case, you may be able to secure compensation for your injuries with the help of an attorney. Contact Michael A. Kahn now for a free consultation.
