Protective Gear that Prevents Serious Bicycle Accident Injuries

During the 10-year recovery period post-Hurricane Katrina, the City of New Orleans invested significant resources into expanding the bicycle infrastructure from 12.5 miles to 98 miles. Since then, city planners at the New Orleans Regional Planning Commission have made further progress and plans to reduce the number of fatal or severe New Orleans bicycle accidents and pedestrian crashes. 

In observance of National Bike Safety Month, our bike accident attorneys put together a list of protective gear that will help reduce the risk of mishaps and injuries.

Checklist of Protective Cycling Gear

There are two types of protective gear for cyclists. One includes gear a cyclist can personally wear. The other includes gear that can be added to a bike.

Both types of protective gear are essential to helping increase visibility and provide an extra layer of protection in case a cyclist should get into a collision with another rider, vehicle, wall, or the hard ground. 

Safety Wearables for Cyclists

• Angular joints are often the first points of contact in a crash. Knee and elbow pads have hard plastic shells to protect delicate skin in those areas and provide a buffer against hard impact.
• During an accident, your hands instinctively reach out to break your fall, so gloves can prevent painful shredding of skin. Gloves also help you maintain a secure grip on the bike handles and offer warmth on cooler days. Plus, gloves reinforced with wrist braces will give you another layer of protection.
• Louisiana state law requires use of bike helmets by all riders under 12 years old. While helmets aren’t mandatory for adults, head injuries have a greater likelihood of being serious, so helmets should be used by riders of all ages.
• Wear brightly-colored clothing and add reflective tape for increased visibility. illumiNITE is a unique brand of activewear that incorporates large reflective areas rather than strips or dots.

Bicycle Accident Prevention Accessories

• Lights are essential if you intend to do any riding at night, and they’re also valuable during times of low visibility such as fog or rain. Front lights can be mounted on handlebars or helmets. Flashing lights for the back of the bike are most effective at alerting drivers to your presence.
• Mirrors mounted on handlebars help to expand your range of vision.
• Toe clips hold your feet securely on the pedal, reducing the risk of a spill when your foot falls off.

Get Assistance After a New Orleans Bicycle Accident

Unfortunately, not all motor vehicle drivers are willing to share the road with cyclists as required by Louisiana law. If you are hurt in a bike wreck, know that you are not alone. Our New Orleans bike accident attorneys will fight to make sure you receive the justice and compensation that you deserve. 

Contact us Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. for a free consultation. You can also reach us after hours and on weekends by phone, email, and through our online LiveChat feature. Don’t delay! Get the help you need when you need it most from Mike Brandner Law.