It can be tricky to navigate the streets of Ontario on a bicycle, avoiding collisions with cars, trucks and pedestrians. Brushing up on your cycling skills can make for a safer riding experience.
It’s important to ride a bike that’s a good fit for you and that has a properly adjusted seat and handlebars. Maintaining the correct tire pressure is important, as is doing periodic maintenance on your bike to keep it in safe working order.
While all bicyclists should wear helmets, Ontario law prohibits cyclists younger than 18 from riding without wearing approved bike helmets. The law also requires bicycles to have white lights in front and red reflectors or lights in the rear when riding a half hour before the sun sets to a half hour after sunrise. Also mandated are white reflective strips in the forks of the bike in the front and red ones on the rear stays. Ontario laws requires that all bicycles have working horns or bells.
Wearing white and yellow clothing at night will enhance your visibility, as will pedal reflectors and additional reflective materials worn on heels, ankles, wrists and helmets. If you are riding at dusk or dawn away from or into the light, it’s important to allow extra space between you and traffic, as you will be harder to spot.
Always stop at intersections and make sure that it is clear before riding through. It only takes a second for a car or truck to mow down bicyclists and injure or kill them due to one’s negligent actions.
If you have been injured in a bike accident and want to pursue a claim for damages, a personal injury lawyer can guide you.
Source: Ontario Ministry of Transportation, "Cycling Skills," accessed Jan. 08, 2016