It’s important to wear a helmet while riding a bike, but there are plenty of other safety rules that you should follow. . If you are ever hit by a car moving at a high speed, then chances are the helmet won’t save you. The best thing to do is avoid getting hit in the first place. Your helmet then becomes a back-up plan for safety. Knowing where to ride could is as important as reliable safety gear.

Always Ride on the Correct Side of the Street

Bikers who ride on the wrong side of the street are taking serious risks. Many cyclists feel uncomfortable riding with the flow of traffic because they can’t see the cars behind them. Putting a mirror on your helmet or handle bars will solve this problem.

The worst thing about riding on the wrong side of the street is that you increase your chances of getting seriously injured when you have an accident. Say, for instance, that you are hit by a car from behind moving at 35 mph while you’re moving at 10 mph. That’s like getting hit by a vehicle driving at 25. If you had the same collision with an oncoming car, though, it would be like being struck by a car moving at 45 mph.

Avoid the Far Right Side of the Outer Lane

Most cyclists stick to the outer lane whenever possible. Doing so reduces the amount of auto traffic that you have to deal with. Riding on the far right side of the outer lane, however, can be very dangerous. If you are right up against the curb, then chances are that vehicles approaching perpendicular intersections will not be able to spot you. They’ll pull out without ever seeing you, which means that the two of you could easily collide.

Riding on the far edge is also dangerous when there is a parking lane for cars. Hugging the curb makes it much more likely that you’ll be struck by a car door. Floating along the left edge of the lane will make you more visible to parked cars.