10 Ways To Prevent Bike And Vehicle Accidents In Ohio

Every year, the Ohio Department of Public Safety publishes reports on current traffic behaviors and accidents, including crash statistics between automobiles and bicycles. Some of the numbers instill the thought: what other precautions could we take as motorists and bikers to prevent these collisions?

Some of Ohio’s Latest Bicycle and Automobile Accident Statistics

• In 2015, there was a total of 7,110 bicycle crashes, injuries, and deaths within the state of Ohio.
• 3,800 of the incidents were crashes, 3,147 of those incidents were injuries, and 163 of the incidents were fatal.
• 402 injuries occurred between the ages of 51-55.
• 1,606 injuries occurred when no helmets were used.

With a few simple precautions, we can all help prevent bike/car collisions and avoid needing a bicycle accident lawyer:

Motorist Precautions For Bikes:

1. Give cyclist 3 feet
2. Check for a possible bike lane when turning right or changing lanes toward a curb.
3. Use your turn signals with every lane change and turn.
4. Look for advancing bikers before exiting your vehicle
5. Consider the vulnerability of a cyclist

Bicyclist Precautions for Cars:

1. Use the proper left and right-hand signals when making turns.
2. Stop at traffic signals as if you are a car.
3. Ride as close to the right curb as possible
4. Bike in the direction of traffic.
5. Use front and back bike lights.

Bearing these simple precautions in mind, we can work together to keep the road safe for auto drivers and cyclists everywhere.

Have questions about an accident you’ve been involved in? Call McKenzie & Snyder at (513) 273-4472.