Be Seen!

Do you love riding your bicycle as a form of transportation or exercise? Bicycle riding can be an affordable alternative to driving a car and a fun recreational activity that the whole family can enjoy. It is important to remember, however, that bicycles are not toys; they are vehicles that share the road with other motorists. You cannot always depend on these motorists to watch for you on busy streets, reminds you to BE SEEN.  Bicyclists are asked to wear bright or safety colored shirts.  Action Law Offices distributes thousands of safety green t-shirts to Wisconsin bikers free of charge.

Action Law Safety Bear in the German Fest parade.

At the Action Law Offices, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, we are all too familiar with the tragedy of a bike accident. For more than 20 years, our personal injury attorneys have represented clients suffering from serious injuries and the wrongful death of a loved one as the result of negligence. We have seen the devastation bike accidents cause, both emotionally and financially, and are committed to helping other individuals avoid a similar situation.

Following are some safety tips to follow for safe bicycle riding:

• Wear a properly fitted bicycle helmet. Statistics from the Children's Safety Network show that head injuries contributed to more than half of all deaths in bicycle crashes. Wearing a helmet can significantly improve your chances of surviving a serious accident.

• Adjust your bicycle to fit and check your equipment. A properly adjusted bicycle can help stabilize you while bike riding, and may help avoid tipping over if you do run into hazards. Additionally, inflating your tires and making sure your breaks work properly are simple, but necessary precautions.

• Follow the rules of the road. Bicyclist behavior such as riding into the street without looking, riding through stop signs, and riding the wrong way in traffic can increase the chances of an accident. Follow the rules of the road to help ensure your safety.

• Wear bright colors. Whether riding during the day or at night, wearing bright and florescent colors can help improve your chances of being seen. Reflective tape and flashing lights also make you more visible to motorist traffic.

• Watch for road hazards. Road hazards can include anything from pot holes, to parked cars, to dogs. Make sure you aware of your surroundings. If others are riding behind you, yell out to make them aware of the hazard as well.

• Avoid riding at night. Riding at night makes it harder for other motorists to see you. However, if you must ride in the evening or at night, make sure to wear reflective clothing. Adding reflectors or lights to your bicycle can also help make you more visible to oncoming traffic.

These tips are meant to help you avoid spinal cord damage, head trauma and other serious injuries in a bicycle accident. If you have already been injured and are in need of a bike accident lawyer in the Milwaukee area, please consider contacting our personal injury law firm. We truly care about you, and are driven to hold responsible parties accountable for their negligence.