New Haven Bike Accidents: Riding Your Bike At Night Can Be Especially Dangerous

Just a few days ago in the city of Hamden a motorist killed a cyclist while driving under the influence.  This terrible tragedy underscores the dangers of driving while under the influence and riding your bike at night.  The accident occurred at 1:15a.  While the driver was clearly at fault, riding your bike at night can leave you very vulnerable to a New Have bike accident.

If you do plan to go out and ride your bike at night there are some safety precautions you should take.  Following these safety protocols can help save your life and get your to your destination safely.

1. Wear reflective clothing.  Clothes that stand out at night and in particular can be seen when headlights are shone on them can help draw attention to you as you ride and notify an on-coming vehicle of your location.
2. Always ride with the traffic.  If you’re riding in the same direction as the traffic you can be seen more easily.  You will also not be blinded by on-coming headlights which could cause you to lose control of your bike and get into a crash of your own.
3. Obey traffic laws.  If you are riding at anytime of the day you should obey traffic laws, but especially at night.  If you don’t stop at stop lights or look both ways when you’re crossing you may be asking for trouble.
4. Add headlights to your bike.  if you’re doing a lot of riding at night you’ll want to outfit your bike with a headlight that can help you see ahead of you.  This will keep you safe and also notify on-coming traffic of your location.

Riding your bike at night can be fun and exciting, but it can also be dangerous.  If you don’t take safety precautions you can end up in a New Haven bike accident and get injured or worse.

If you or a loved one has been injured or worse in a bicycle accident, contact our office immediately and one of our attorneys will speak with you and review your case.