Seaside Vacations

The weather is warming up and the streets of the OBX are starting to fill up with spring visitors and bicycle enthusiasts.  Exercising or taking a relaxing ride along the bike paths and streets of the Outer Banks is a great way to spend the day, but cycling safety should always be on the forefront of your mind.

Every year police report over 900 bicycle accidents in the state of North Carolina.  Out of these 900 accidents, 60 cause serious injury, and 20 are fatal.  Cycling brings significant enjoyments, but it also carries risk.  Cars and bikes need to share the road, and operators need to remain alert and act defensively.  As pointed out on InjuryBoard.com “Most accidents are attributable to riders and drivers not paying attention to the rules of the road. Of all the cycling errors the most common include passing stopped vehicles at stop signs and traffic lights, riding through red lights or stop signs, and not using hand signals. To further heighten the element of danger car drivers often refuse to make way for cyclists and fail to heed bikers before turning.” 

 Safety  Rules to keep in mind:

·         Always wear a helmet:  Studies have shown that wearing a bicycle helmet can significantly reduce the risk of serious injury.   Only 25% of North Carolina cyclists wear helmets, but there is no doubt that they can save your life. The North Carolina Department of Transportation estimates that bicycle helmets reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85 percent and the risk of traumatic brain injury by as much as 88 percent.

·         Follow the rules of the road:  Stop and yield where appropriate.  Use hand signals.

·         Ride defensively:  Don’t expect cars to stop or yield. 

·         MP3 players limit your ability to hear on-coming traffic.