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Category Archive for: ‘Bicycle Accident’

Bike And Child Safety Education Begins At Home Comments Off

Multiple news agencies have indicated that when it comes to child and bike safety, educational efforts should start at home.

The whole family can have fun while riding a bike. Children can learn important lessons on how to be responsible for their own safety as well as how important it is to follow traffic regulations in order to stay safe. Developing new abilities associated with the riding activity could also be extremely positive for a child’s motor skills. However, some parents must remember that only teaching the child to ride a bicycle is not enough. Safety skills should also be taught at home.

How to wear the right protective gear and make sure the bike is in good condition to be used regularly are factors that should also be a part of the bike ride education.

Some safety experts are urging parents to keep in mind that helmets should always be mandatory. Many states consider a child who’s 16 years of age or younger riding a bike without a helmet to be infringing the law. According to safety advocated, young bike riders should have a helmet on while riding on roads, bike lanes or paths, footways or any other public place including parks.

Helmets should be the right size for your child’s head size. The helmet must fit correctly and be comfortable enough without being loose. Helmets shouldn’t be strapped too tight either, in order to prevent incidents caused by the discomfort. Caps or other hats should not be on when the helmet is placed to keep the device from being fitted correctly. The child should also wear a visor over the helmet in order to protect him or her from the sun.

Once you have chosen the perfect helmet and placed it on the head, find the correct position in order to prevent it from becoming loose over time. Experts say that the best way to place the helmet is to position it in a way that covers the forehead. The rim of the helmet should be just above the eyebrows, and the device’s straps should be adjusted correctly. Buckles should also be fastened properly in order to maintain the helmet placed firmly. The straps must form a “V” shape once they are fastened along the plastic strap guide, which must be positioned just below the child’s earlobe. Fasten the buckle underneath the child’s chin.

While teaching your child how to safely ride a bicycle, highlight the importance of keeping the bicycle and the safety gear in a good condition in order to prevent children from experiencing incidents. If the safety helmet was involved in an incident or it has been damaged after hitting an object, you should have the helmet replaced. When the product is not in use, avoid leaving under sun exposure. If the foam is crumbling, it’s time to get a new helmet. Following the manufacturer’s instructions is also important when it comes to keeping the device clean.

If you’re interested in learning more tips on how to keep your child safe, follow this link for the full article.

Posted on: 04-30-2013
Posted in: Bicycle Accident, child safety, personal injury

Handlebar Issue Prompts Bicycle Recall Comments Off

Multiple news agencies have indicated that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has stated that Cervélo Bicycles are being recalled by its distributor Cervélo Cycles Inc., and the federal agency in order to prevent potential incidents.

The official recall statement shows that the company believed that the Aura Pro handlebars these bicycles were equipped could come undone unexpectedly. The firm has stated that at least one incident was reported in association with the recalled bicycles. The report shows that the rider ended up sustaining minor injuries as a result of the accident.

According to the federal agency, 623 affected units of these bikes were sold across the country. The recalled products were available nationwide between September 2012 and January 2013. The federal agency has urged consumers with the defective bicycles to avoid injuries and incidents by acting promptly and having this issue eradicated as soon as possible. The company has state that affected bike owners should contact them in order to receive a free repair kit. If you have been injured in an incident associated with this recall, contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission already to report the occurrence.

You can find the full recall announcement issued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission by following this link.

Posted on: 04-26-2013
Posted in: Bicycle Accident, personal injury, Product Recall

High-tech air bag features provide protection to cyclists Comments Off

According to a study surveying 1,000 bicyclists in Portland, Oregon, 18 percent of respondents had sustained injuries while riding, and 6 percent of respondents had been hospitalized due to injuries sustained while riding. Authorities at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that more than half a million bicyclists, approximately 59 percent of which are 15 years of age or younger are injured each year in traffic accidents, and approximately 700 cyclists are killed in traffic accidents each year.

The Netherlands is the site of 200 fatal bicycle accidents each year. In an effort to reduce the number of bicycle accident injuries, the Dutch government has granted the design company TNO €1 million to develop an exterior air bag for vehicles that would cushion a cyclist in the event of an accident. Employing a rearview mirror mounted camera to determine the likelihood of a collision. In the event of an imminent accident the car will automatically apply the brakes and deploy the exterior air bag, which inflates from beneath the windshield and provides protection from the vehicle’s front end, the site of impact in the majority of accidents involving bicycles and vehicles.

Until these features become available internationally, airbag-equipped suits designed by Dainese provide cyclists and motorcycle riders with similar protection. The Dainese D-Air Racing suit, which weighs approximately one pound, helps reduce the risk of injury in an accident by protecting the rider’s neck, chest, and shoulders. The inflatable airbag is triggered approximately 15 milliseconds after impact, and is designed to fully inflate within 30 milliseconds of impact. The manufacturer advertises that the suit can reduce the impact of an accident by approximately 85 percent in comparison to a traditional motorcycle racing suit.

The suit employs a system of sensors and gyroscopes to determine the rider’s speed and trajectory in order to detect a collision as quickly as possible. The suit is also equipped with a GPS navigation system, 2 gigabytes of storage, and software that can track lap times, record accident data such as speed and trajectory in the event of a collision, and allows the user to project acceleration data onto Google Maps in order to plot racing lines.

Watch the video below to see the Dainese D-Air Racing suit in action. We previously reported on the portable inflatable helmet currently in development, and while we do not endorse any of these products before adequate safety data can be obtained, it is encouraging that companies are continuing to develop new safety technology in an effort to reduce fatal and injury accidents.

Posted on: 02-8-2013
Posted in: Bicycle Accident

Inflatable bicycle helmet offers concealable protection Comments Off

The Hövding, a portable personal airbag that can be disguised as a scarf may soon offer bicyclists protection comparable to the safety measures offered to motorists. In the event of an accident, the airbag, which detects velocity, rate of speed and other potential accident indication using a system of sensors, accelerometers and gyroscopes, is designed to deploy automatically, inflating into a protective helmet. The helmet, activated by zipping the collar around the neck, can be recharged using a USB port. The port can also be used to update the device’s firmware, which regulates the black box. The device records the sensor input for the previous ten seconds before an impact requiring air bag deployment in order to improve future performances.

To prevent the device from deploying at inappropriate moments, the device designers have been conducting performance testing using both crash dummies and trained stunt men and women.

While some safety experts doubt the portable inflatable helmet is as reliable as a standard helmet, but bike riders who are concerned about fashion may be more likely to wear a helmet that can be concealed until it’s needed. The video below demonstrates the Hövding helmet in action as it deploys in response to an accident.

Posted on: 02-7-2013
Posted in: Bicycle Accident

Newport Beach raises funds to make bicycle safety improvements Comments Off

The Newport Beach Bicycle Safety Improvement Fund, established in response to two fatal accidents involving cyclists that occurred in the area, has raised $78,000 to date. With the city agreeing to match all private contributions at a rate of $3 for every dollar raised, the fund will have an approximate value of $312,000. City officials are now determining what to spend the money on. Some of the current areas of consideration include adding a right turn lane. In Newport Beach, 106 bike related accidents occurred in 2012, a six percent decrease from 2011. Of the 106 crashes, 52 were solo bike accidents and 54 involved a car.

Read the full article here:

Bike Safety Officials Discuss Improvement Projects

Posted on: 01-11-2013
Posted in: Bicycle Accident

Loud Bicycle horn claims to alert motorists more effectively Comments Off

A new safety product called Loud Horn is a warning horn that can be equipped on a bicycle but produces sounds at a volume comparable to a car horn. According to safety studies cited in the product’s marketing materials, motorists are more likely to respond appropriately to the sound of a car horn than to any other sound in s potential accident situation. By producing a low pitch and high pitch sound effect simultaneously, the bicycle uses an effect similar to that employed by compact car models in order to produce a louder effect designed to penetrate closed vehicle windows.

Read the full article here:

Sound Safety: ‘Loud Bicycle’ Horn Lets You Honk Like a Car

 

Posted on: 01-7-2013
Posted in: Bicycle Accident

Bicycle safety concerns increase in winter months Comments Off

Bicycling can become especially dangerous in the final months of the year, according to some safety experts, due to the diminishing daylight hours. Maintaining visibility is one of the primary safety concerns for bicycle riders, and safety equipment including lights and reflectors are an essential for avoiding accidents after sunset. Bicycle lights of an intensity comparable to motorcycle headlamps are currently available at many bike shops. In the event of an accident, a safety helmet conforming to industry safety standards can prevent serious or even fatal head injuries.

Read the full article here:
On Cycling: Local bike shops offer safety insights

Posted on: 12-11-2012
Posted in: Bicycle Accident

Bicyclists may soon protect heads with recycled cardboard Comments Off

A new bicycle helmet called the Kranium is constructed from recycled cardboard but promises to provide up to 200 percent greater impact absorption while weighing 15 percent less than its polystyrene counterparts. According to the helmet’s designer, the unique corrugated construction was inspired by a woodpecker’s shock absorbing skull cartilage. Product tests reportedly collaborate the figures boasted by the product’s manufacturers, and a Formula 1 racing team is studying the design to incorporate elements into its own line of helmets. The helmet is expected to go on sale before the end of the year.

Read the full article here:

Cardboard bike helmet could revolutionize head safety

 

Posted on: 12-11-2012
Posted in: Bicycle Accident

City officials investigate ways to improve bicycle safety Comments Off

City officials in Boston, Massachusetts are investigating way to improve bicyclist safety, beginning with an investigation into the causes of recent traffic accidents, some of them fatal, involving bicyclists in the area, and an examination of accident records in order to determine if accidents involving bicyclists have been increasing. The city’s Hubway public bicycle rental program has reportedly increased cycling’s popularity, especially among younger residents living in metropolitan areas and lower income residents.

According to statistics cited by city officials, bicyclists are half as likely to be injured in an accident when they are able to ride within a designated bicycle lane than when sharing a lane of traffic with motor vehicles, and 90 percent less likely to be injured in an accident if the designated bicycle lane was protected by a barrier.

While safety studies have shown that bicycle helmets are helpful for reducing the risk of fatal head injuries in the event of an accident, avoiding an accident in the first place is the most effective way to prevent injuries. The most common kind of accident, according to bicycle safety advocates, occurs when a car pulls out from a side street into the path of an oncoming bicycle. In order to prevent this type of accident, which often occurs after sundown, cyclists are advised to attach a headlight to their handlebars. Riding further to the left, as opposed to as close to the curb as possible, will also make the cyclist more visible to drivers in this situation, and riding toward the center of the lane will also help cyclists avoid the second most common type of accident, which occurs when a motorists opens the door of a parked car into an oncoming bicycle’s path.

Posted on: 12-6-2012
Posted in: Bicycle Accident

Traffic lights across the U.S. make room for bicyclists Comments Off

According to a study sponsored in part by the Federal Highway Administration, at least 16 cities throughout the United States have installed bicycle-specific traffic signals at intersection traffic lights similar to those found in Germany, Sweden, and Australia. The signals — recently installed in cities including Seattle, Washington D.C., Austin, Minneapolis, and San Francisco — feature a bicycle shaped signal alongside the traditional green, red, and yellow lights. The primary reason for installing the lights, according to safety experts, is to give bicyclists a better idea of when it is no longer safe to enter the intersection during a green light. While the traditional yellow caution light is timed to allow vehicles enough time to cross the intersection before the light turns red, bicyclists are incapable of traveling at motor vehicle speeds, requiring them to stop sooner to avoid the risk of a collision. Some green lights, various traffic studies have determined, do not allow time for a stopped bicyclist to pedal through the intersection before the light changes back to red, even if he or she begins pedaling the instant the light switches from red to green.

A common cause of traffic accidents involving bicycles occurs when a motorist is attempting to turn right and collides with an unseen bicyclist going straight in the far-right bicycle lane. These lights attempt to protect bicyclists by allowing them a few seconds head start on motor vehicles. I hope these traffic signals improve safety for bicyclists and help to decrease the number of accidents that occur across the United States each year.

Posted on: 12-4-2012
Posted in: Bicycle Accident
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