Driving Safely in the Presence of Bicyclists

As a motorist on the road, you may have encountered a few bicyclists during your afternoon commute back home, and most likely, you were annoyed and irritated by them. Zooming around past you, driving in your lane, never stopping at stop signs, not using turn signals— we understand the frustration. A driver’s mindset is quite superior. Many feel they have the right to the road, maybe they do, or maybe it’s an attitude effect due to the increased size and robustness of their vehicles; bullying cyclists into getting their way! The truth is, drivers need to recognize that cyclists too, have a right to the road. Ultimately, working together is key.

Working together means both motorists and bicyclists acknowledging each other, making sure to follow the most basic road safety guidelines. If you take a look at this infographic, you can get some of these basic essential tips to ensure you’re sharing the road whether you’re cruising around in your Prius, or taking on the streets in your mountain bike!

• Don’t pass bicyclists when making immediate right turns
• Avoid honking your horn when cyclists are near. Startling them could cause an accident
• Allow three feet of passing space between you and the cyclist
• Slow down when you’re passing a bicyclist, especially if the road is very narrow

On average, the accident rate for a cyclist is about 37 crashes at approximately 621,000 miles. However, with the right precautions, and some good driving tips, driving safely around bicyclists will have these statistics declining!