Anyone who has been driving for an extended period understands the difficulties that bicyclists can bring to the roadway during the warm weather months in Michigan. Driving with bicyclists on the roadway can be frustrating at times because they usually force you to slow down, and even put you in danger when you attempt to pass them. Sharing the road with bicyclists means understanding that bicyclists have the same rights as you do. However, they present significant safety challenges because they are so much smaller and less visible than a car. In order to avoid these safety challenges, bicyclists use hand signals to attempt to clearly demonstrate their next move and avoid colliding with other vehicles on the roadway.
Under Michigan law, bicyclists must carry out these hand signals every time they stop or attempt to make a turn on the roadway.
Right Hand Turn Signals
As a bicyclist in Michigan, a right-hand turn signal can be signified by pointing your right arm straight out horizontally or lifting your left arm up, bending your elbow upwards at a 90-degree angle, pointing your hand and fingers at the sky.
Left Hand Turn Signals
To signify a left-hand turn signal as a bicyclist, point your left arm straight outwards horizontally.
Signals for Stopping
In order to signify that you are stopping or decreasing speed while riding a bicycle, extend your left arm outwards horizontally with your left elbow bent at a 90-degree angle downwards with your forearm pointed at the pavement along with your hand and fingers.
The number of bicycle-related fatalities in Michigan has recently been increasing at an alarming rate due to the major increase in bicyclists on the road. Recently more and more people have been using bicycles as their main form of transportation because of the numerous health benefits as well as the environmentally friendly nature of biking compared to driving a motor vehicle. As a result, there was a 64% increase in the number of bicycle-related fatalities on the roadway from 2020 to 2022 compared to the three-year period between 2017 and 2019. From 2020 to 2022, 103 bicyclists were killed on the road compared to 63 fatalities between 2017 and 2019. In 2022 alone there was a total of 1,030 bicyclists injured on the roadway, a 10% increase from the number of bicycle-related injuries two years prior in 2020 (933).
Wear a Helmet
The first and most important step for safely riding a bicycle is putting on a helmet. Using safety gear, most importantly a helmet, is by far the most effective way to prevent major injuries, especially to your head and brain, if you were to fall off your bike or get hit by another vehicle on the road. According to a meta-analysis, using a helmet while biking reduces the chances of a serious head injury by 60%, reduces the risk of sustaining a serious brain injury by 53%, and reduces the overall number of cyclists killed or seriously injured by 34%. Bicycle helmets have been proven to save lives and prevent injuries. Deciding not to wear a helmet is inexcusable considering the potential dangers of riding without a helmet.
How to Avoid Accidents with a Bicyclist
In order to avoid a crash with a bicyclist while driving a car, make sure that you are constantly obeying the speed limit, reducing your speed based on road conditions, and driving defensively. Most importantly, when driving on the road with a bicyclist, make sure to give the bicyclist a significant amount of room in between them and your car, especially when passing, in case they are to make any sudden movements. Overall, make sure that you are treating a bicyclist like any other vehicle on the road, giving them the space and respect that they deserve to prevent any injuries from occurring.
If you or someone you know is injured in a bicycle-related crash, tell them to call the experienced team of injury lawyers at Femminineo Law. Femminineo Law can be reached anytime at 855-65-CRASH or by contacting us.
