Call

Blog

Law
02

Blog

For the Love of the Blinky Light

Daylight Savings Time has ended and we’ve “fallen back,” relegating many of us to commuting home, training, and gathering for our favorite social rides in the dark. There is an added element of fun in getting on the bike when the sun is setting, or pedaling under a night sky. But the additional risks that accompany riding in the dark shouldn’t be overlooked.

Here are some important statistics to inspire us to a heightened state of awareness and proclivity for common sense:

  • Last year, 45,000 bike injuries were reported
  • Of those, nearly half occurred in the evening
  • More than ⅓ of those 45,000 injured cyclists were struck by a motor vehicle
  • 818 of those crashes were fatal
  • That’s a 6% increase in the last 10 years
  • 71% of those crash fatalities were in urban areas
  • 22% of the 818 bicycle crash deaths happened between 6-9 PM

There should be no disagreement that the invention of the flashing/blinking red light is one of the most significant in modern bicycle history. Like riding with the direction of traffic and obeying traffic laws (more of that common sense stuff), installing and using lights when riding at dawn, dusk, or in the dark can be the difference between a joyful celebration on two wheels (or making it home to our friends and families from work) and an avoidable tragedy. Take the appropriate measures to make yourself as visible to traffic as you can. Bright/high viz kits and clothing, reflective materials when possible, and bike lights are all integral parts to cycling safely and responsibly in the dark. Just because the sun sets earlier these days doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have as much fun riding as often as we did when summer nights were bright well into the evening hours. We have to be smart. Your local bike shop should be able to provide a variety of lighting options. If they don’t, let us know. We’re always happy to help.

If you are interested potentially winning a sweet Bike Law kit including blinky lights? Check us out on Instagram.

Comments

Charlie Thomas Nov 08, 2024

A gap in Texas law is allowing some drivers who hit people in crosswalks to get off scot-free, despite recently passed legislation meant to address the issue. It’s called the Lisa Torry Smith Act and was passed in 2021. This law requires drivers to “stop and yield” to pedestrians, bicyclists, and anyone else legally using […]

Read More
Bike lawyer rides her bike in Charlotte, NC
Ann Groninger Jun 21, 2024

Bike Law lawyer hassled by a driver for riding in the lane. Why, because she was trying to take a left turn!

Read More
E-BIKE LAWS. ARE THEY LEGAL?
Ann Groninger Apr 04, 2024

Love them or hate them, e-bikes continue to rise in popularity. At the same time, lawmakers struggle to keep up with the developing technologies. Every week I get multiple inquiries from people trying to navigate North Carolina’s e-bike laws. If you’re confused, you’re not alone.  We could easily fill a book with all the latest […]

Read More
Ann Groninger Jan 04, 2024

Many of our cycling clients find themselves having to interact with the criminal justice system. Typically, it’s because the driver who hits them (or their family member) is charged with a crime or traffic offense. Occasionally bicyclists themselves are charged with traffic offenses! Every state’s criminal laws are different, but there is a lot of […]

Read More
Bike Crash Road Defect Georgia
Peter Wilborn Jun 14, 2023

We recently shared the story of a trial victory from the State of Texas where a bicyclist was injured due to a defect in a road maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation. Texas Road Defect   We now can tell the story of another huge win in a road defect case, this time from […]

Read More
Road defect dangerous to cyclists
Charlie Thomas Mar 14, 2023

Recently, attorneys with the Bike Law network took a case to a trial against a titan of a defendant: the Texas Department of Transportation. TxDOT was represented by the Attorney General’s Office, one of Texas’ largest legal teams. We had a great client, but it was a tough case to prove. So tough, in fact, […]

Read More
bike path charlotte
Ann Groninger Jan 13, 2023

  2023 got off to a rough start for Charlotte, North Carolina, particularly in the context of road safety. Within about a week, we lost a young woman who was riding her bicycle, a pedestrian killed in the same area of town, and four people were killed in a car wreck on I-85 in the […]

Read More
North Carolina Bike Crash
Ann Groninger Dec 06, 2022

Unless you’re a very recent follower of ours, you’ve heard us talk before about “contributory negligence.” To recap: “pure contributory negligence” is the law in North Carolina and only 3 other states (Alabama, Virginia, Maryland). In pure contributory negligence states, if a person is injured by someone else’s fault and the injured person contributes even […]

Read More
Is It Illegal to Ride Your Bike on the Sidewalk bikelaw
Peter Wilborn Aug 01, 2022

The laws dictating whether you can ride your bike on the sidewalk differ depending where you live. Different states have different laws on this matter, and local ordinances also vary. Let’s take a look at the legal framework behind various state laws related to cycling on sidewalks. The laws of sidewalk-riding can be very complicated […]

Read More
Load More