Keith E. Weiler, M.D.

Just like driving a car, riding a bicycle carries with it certain responsibilities for safety. The same basic rules of the road followed by motorists should be respected by bike riders, whether they are children or adults.

Cyclists, however, also have some of the vulnerability of pedestrians when it comes to safety.

Using common sense and following some simple safety precautions can help protect you from injury while riding your bike. A safe rider is a cautious rider. When riding in traffic, you should obey all traffic lights and signals, just as a driver does. When traveling through heavy traffic and intersections, it may be wiser to walk your bike rather than ride it.

Ride single file when bicycling with one or more people. Never ride double on the same bike.

It is always important to let drivers know what your intentions are. Learn and use hand signals to help prevent any confusion that may lead to an accident. When riding on sidewalks or along a crosswalk, you should act and operate as a pedestrian.

All cyclists, regardless of age, should wear protective headgear. The protection a helmet provides is three-fold. First and foremost, it absorbs the shock of a crash. Secondly, it distributes the force of the impact over the surface of the helmet and not the rider’s head. Lastly, a bike helmet protects the head from sharp objects.

Not all helmets are the same. A hard-shell helmet has a thick layer of polystyrene foam that crushes on impact. A soft-shell helmet is lighter and usually has an extra thick layer of polystyrene covered by cloth. For maximum protection, a bicycle helmet should be snug, but not tight. It should not rock back and forth on the head when worn. To be effective, the helmet should sit flat on your head. It should not be tiled over the forehead or on the back of the head. Always look for helmets that comply with the most recent accepted national safety standards.

It’s just as important for adults to wear helmets as it is for children. No one is exempt from possible injury, not even Lance Armstrong or his fellow competitors. Remember that adults who practice safe bicycling by always wearing helmets are setting excellent examples for their children.

When riding during the day, wear bright-colored clothing. If you must ride at night, it’s a good idea to wear light-colored or reflective clothing. If riding when it’s dark, you will also need a good light source such as a bright headlight as well as a red tail light. Both will increase your chance of being visible to others. The objective is always to see and be seen.

As with most outdoor activities, simple precautionary steps routinely followed can greatly decrease the risk of being hurt when bicycling. And this might save you from making a trip to Walk-In Care or the emergency room, or experiencing a life-long injury.