Champlain Valley Bike Accident Prevention Guide
Riding a bike is the perfect way to exercise, de-stress, and enjoy the outdoors, especially when you can ride your bike in Vermont’s Green Mountains or New York’s Adirondack Mountains. The mountainscapes, forests, rivers, ponds, and wildlife are excellent ways to unwind. Don’t let a bicycle crash turn a beautiful day into a nightmare. Unfortunately, bike accidents can happen anywhere. If you ride alongside motor vehicles, you need to take precautions while you ride.
Bike Laws in Vermont and New York
Cyclists need to know the road rules before going out to ride. As a smaller road user, you must know how to ride your bike around motor vehicles. Local and state laws can help you understand where you should ride if there is no bike path, how to signal, and if you can ride two abreast. Here are links you can use to find the most up-to-date laws in VT or NY.
Here are some quick links to find the bike laws in both states:
Where to Ride in Vermont
Vermont has an excellent cycling infrastructure to make it easier for people to ditch their cars and get on their bikes. If you love road riding or riding on a path, you can find miles upon miles of trails for your next trip.
Newer riders can take the Vermont Rail Trail and bike paths. More experienced riders can test their endurance on Lincoln Gap, the steepest continuous mile in the United States. To find the best trail for you and your needs, you can use Local Motion’s trail finder.
If you want a list of the best mountain biking trails, look no further than Singletracks.com’s list of trails and ratings.
Where to Ride in New York
There are a lot of excellent places to ride in the Adirondack region. If you live in or visit Lake Placid, you will notice many cyclists training for the Ironman Triathlon and families on a casual weekend tour of the town.
If you are interested in road riding, you can find different pathways and byways. One of the most prominent bike paths you can follow in the North Country is the Empire State Trail, connecting Plattsburgh to New York City.
If you’re interested in mountain biking, you can travel to Tupper Lake, bike around Titus Mountain, and even take the Adirondack Trail to Malone.
What To Do After A Bike Accident
If you came here today because you’ve already been in an accident, watch our video below There is a lot you can still do even after you leave the injury scene to protect your claim. Here are some of our top tips to help you collect information and present the best accident claim possible.
Six Tips to prevent bike accidents
1. Wear Bright Reflective Clothing
Many tips in this list are intended to prevent specific bike accidents, but this tip can reduce your risk in almost all scenarios. Drivers who cannot see you may turn in front of you, rear-end you or hit you while making a left turn at an intersection.
In addition to wearing bright clothing and a reflective vest, you should fit a headlight on the front of your bike and install reflectors on the spokes and rear. You should also add reflective tape to your helmet’s back, front, and sides to increase your visibility.
2. Avoid Riding Between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 1 in 5 fatal bicycle accidents happen between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. This statistic has many reasons, including reduced visibility and increased vehicles and bicycles on the road.
3. Keep Your Distance from Aggressive Drivers
Watch out for speeding, swerving, making haphazard lane changes, or behaving erratically. Pull off the road until the driver passes if necessary.
4. Make Eye Contact at Four-Way Stop Streets
Most bike accidents happen at intersections where bicycles become invisible. When you’re at a four-way stop street, do not proceed until you have made eye contact with the driver on the intersecting road. If that motorist is texting or inattentive, the driver might stop for only a moment before driving through the intersection.
5. Ride 4 Feet Away from Parked Vehicles
Bicycle riders tend to be more afraid of moving vehicles than parked cars, but a door that opens unexpectedly in front of you can cause devastating injuries. To reduce your risk, ride at least 4 feet away from parked vehicles.
6. Do Not Ride on the Sidewalk
It might seem safer to ride on the sidewalk since you’ll be farther away from traffic, but this increases your chances of being involved in an accident. The reason: If the sidewalk ends at an intersecting road and you continue across, you might get hit by a driver turning left from the opposite side of the road who didn’t expect to see you appear from the sidewalk.
Already Injured in a Bike Accident? Contact Drew Palcsik at Champlain Valley Law
If you were hurt in a bicycle crash despite obeying all traffic laws, you might have grounds for a personal injury claim. Attorney Drew Palcsik can evaluate your case and help you understand your rights.
The at-fault driver or another party may be liable for your lost income, medical bills, and other damages. To schedule a consultation, call us today at (802)231-3377 in Vermont and (518) 549-6063 in New York or email us online. We have offices in Middlebury, Vermont, and Plattsburgh, New York.
