Oregon Bicycle Injury Lawyers Urge Year Long Safety Awareness
Portland, OR (PRWEB) June 13, 2014 -- The start of good weather means more bicycles sharing the roads. As a result, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that May is Bicycle Safety Awareness Month. The agency’s consumer alert: Bike Safety Every Day shares important safety awareness tips and encourages both motorists and bicycles to respect each other’s rights when traveling on the roadways.
Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC, a Portland, Oregon based firm representing individuals and families in Oregon and Washington with bicycle injuries, believes bicycle safety awareness is a year-long practice. As cyclists, automobile drivers and Oregon bicycle accident lawyers, their perspective is that both cyclists and motorists lack education about the rules of the road.
Attorney John Coletti of Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys says that “shining a light on education and safety awareness for all who travel on the roadways is an important step to keeping the roads safe for all vehicle traffic. While the nicer weather may bring out more bicycle traffic, accidents often occur because many motorists lack awareness of bicyclists’ right to share the roads,” concludes Coletti.
Acting Administrator for the NHTSA, David Friedman says that his agency is “committed to increasing safe riding behaviors among bicyclists, and heightening awareness and personal responsibility among motorists and others about safely sharing the road with bicyclists.”
The NHTSA offers bicyclists sensible "safety first" tips:
• Wear a properly-fitted helmet that meets Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) standards.
• Check your bike before heading out, making sure all equipment and parts properly fit and function including tires, brakes, handlebars and seats.
• Ride as a vehicle on the road and always travel in the same direction as traffic.
• Obey traffic signs, signals and lane markings; signal all turns; and follow local laws.
• Be predictable by riding in a straight line and use hand signals at every lane change or turn. Make sure you look ahead for traffic and obstacles that can result in an accident.
• Be visible: wear bright colors. At night, wear reflective materials and lights on your bicycle.
• Ride focused and alert: don't use electronic devices, and never ride impaired by alcohol or drugs.
Motor vehicle drivers sharing the road with bicyclists must heed the following:
• Respect designated bicycle lanes.
• Allow at least three feet clearance when passing a bicyclist on the road.
• Look for cyclists before opening a car door or pulling out from a parking space.
• Yield to cyclists at intersections and as directed by signs and signals.
• Look for cyclists when making turns, either left or right.
• Never drive distracted or impaired. Always buckle up.
Bicyclists in Oregon and Washington State who have been injured in a bicycle accident as a result of negligence are encouraged to consult the Oregon bicycle injury lawyers at Paulson Coletti to schedule a free, no-obligation case evaluation.
About Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC
Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC is a noted Portland, Oregon personal injury law firm serving individuals harmed by the negligence or legal fault of others in Oregon and Washington. The attorneys, Charles Paulson, Jane Paulson and John Coletti specialize in serious catastrophic injury cases, and have won multiple million-dollar verdicts in Oregon and Washington. The firm has extensive Oregon community involvement and is a silver sponsor for the Center for Women, Politics & Policy. Learn more about Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC at http://www.PaulsonColetti.com
Jenny Spencer, Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC, http://www.paulsoncoletti.com/, +1 (503) 226-6361, [email protected]
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