Staying safe while you are riding a bicycle is important. This is especially true as the number of people riding increases. The number of bicyclist is increasing for various reasons such as improving health. One of the other reasons for the increase in bicycle riders is to cut spending for gas on short trips. The cost for health care due to accidents that occur with bicyclist can be extreme. Health, auto and home or renters insurances may pick up most of the cost but not all.

Staying safe while riding your bicycle will decrease the number of accidents and deaths that occur each year. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety 2010 the majority of serious injuries and deaths correlate with people sixteen and over not wearing helmets when riding. Comparing the number of deaths from individuals not wearing a helmet (429) to those that were wearing a helmet (94) demonstrates the importance of wearing a helmet when riding no matter what your age.

The figures above do not include the number of non-fatal injuries that occur each year. It has been shown that bicycling is the second highest sports activity for injuries. A great deal of this relates directly to where bicyclists ride and the interaction between them and other moving vehicles. Failure to yield is just one example of the types of reasons for bicycling accidents. Knowing the laws in your state and abiding by them can help to decrease the number of accidents that occur.

Who will be the one to pay when an accident involving a bicycle occurs depends on several factors. These factors include such things as where, when and who was involved. If the accident is related to an auto accident or a mistake by a driver such as failure to yield, then automobile liability insurance may be the payer. If the accident occurs on someone’s business or home then business or homeowners insurance may be the payer.

Always check with your insurance agent to see what type of insurance is available for these types of accidents. Remember to always check what the laws are in your state and follow them to assisting in you staying safe while riding your bicycle. Most states have a cycle club where you can obtain information about bicycle safety. It doesn’t matter what age you are or how much time you spend on a bicycle keeping safe is of prime importance.