The first documented car crash between a vehicle and a bicycle in the United States occurred in 1896. More than a century later, cars and bicycles continue their uneasy partnership on America's streets. Your best defense when bicycling is to be alert and well-stocked with safety equipment.
Identification
Any time you venture out on a bike, you should wear a helmet, gloves and reflective materials. According to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute, the U.S. has no federal laws requiring helmet use, despite the fact that the NHTSA calls them "the single most effective way to prevent head injury." Check with your local law enforcement agency to see what your city or county requires; most of the time, children under 16 or 18 will need helmets. The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute also recommends padded gloves that will protect your hands during a fall. For added visibility during night rides, they suggest a front-mounted electric light and rear-mounted blinking lights, as well as reflective tape for your bike and helmet.
Expert Insight
If you ride on busy city streets or in crowded pedestrian areas, a few extra pieces of safety equipment will help you navigate the urban jungle. The University of Oklahoma Police Department recommends specialty rearview mirrors that mount on your handlebars, giving you a better view of people merging behind you or other bikes coming up to pass. They also suggest purchasing a bell to alert pedestrians that you're behind them.
Considerations
Trick riders or aggressive riders should wear mouth guards and specialty body armor. Much like a motorcycle rider's protective leather suiting, body armor covers vulnerable spots like your shins, knees and spine. It's marketed mainly toward mountain bikers that sometimes take spills on sharp, pointed rocks, but this armor can offer added protection for street riders, too.
Theories/Speculation
If you ride a recumbent bike, you may need additional safety equipment. Because the profile of the bike is lower than many drivers or pedestrians are used to seeing, you should mount a tall flag on the rear of your bike to add visibility. The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute also recommends these for anyone biking on a highway. Most flags come in bright colors, such as orange, red or yellow. For even more visibility, add reflective tape to your flag.
Benefits
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, bike helmets can and do save lives. They report that helmets reduce your risk of a head injury by 85 percent---favorable odds considering they believe that the majority of cyclists that are killed die from head wounds. Strongly consider wearing a helmet; the IIHS reports that 86 percent of all bike-related deaths are people 16 and over, a group largely ignored by helmet laws.
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