Lights, Camera, Action

As part of Road Safety Week, our cycling accident specialist, David McWilliam gives some winter tips for staying safe on the road.

LIGHTS

To many it goes without saying that if you ride a bike in the dark, use front and rear lights. You wouldn’t drive a car without the lights on in the dark. The amount of cyclists I see on my way home from work in the dark with no lights is staggering. They are
putting themselves at risk. A driver may not see them at all or only when it is too late. I would advise getting a set of lights, as they are not expensive and will get you seen.

Good reflective clothing will also help visibility. Again, these are relatively inexpensive.

CAMERA

You will see a lot of motorcyclists wearing helmet cameras such as GoPros, these will record any incidents on the road. They can be valuable pieces of evidence in the unfortunate event of a collision. I don’t advise cyclists to wear these – placed on the helmet, these can actually increase the risk of more severe head injuries as an impact can push the camera mount through the helmet and into the head.

ACTION

If you are unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident on your bike, try and get to safety out of the road as soon as possible.

– If you are unable to move then wait for help.

– Call an ambulance and the Police if you are able to.

– Take photographs of the vehicle and bikes positions.

– Get the driver and witness details.

– Get the registration number and insurance details.

If you are not injured, you may feel the effects in the hours following the accident. Go to A & E or your GP to get checked over.

Finally, you can call our cycle accident specialist, David McWilliam on 01202 057710 or email him at david.mcwilliam@ellisjones.co.uk for free specialist advice.