Bike Safety Survey

Most adults stopped thinking about bike safety when they were kids or after they had kids! While bike injuries and deaths for children have dropped consistently during the past decade, the numbers for adults (and especially men) are going up. Still think you know bike safety? Well, then, match your wits with our experts and answer these 10 bike safety questions for adults.
1. Riding against traffic on a two-way street or against traffic on a one-way street is: ○  Recommended ○  Illegal ○  Dangerous, but your choice
2. When at a stop sign or red light, you: ○  Don’t need to stop ○  May roll through the intersection if clear ○  Must come to complete stop
3. A headlight must be used on a bicycle: ○  At all times ○  Never ○  At night
4. When passing parked cars, a bicyclist should: ○  Ride close to the parked cars so you don’t get hit from behind, but watch for opening doors ○  Ride far enough left that you won’t get hit by an opening door ○  Ride on the sidewalk if possible ○  None of the above
5. When making a right turn at a red light or a stop sign and there is a car in the right lane, you should: ○  Pull up next to the car but stay as close to the curb as possible ○  Stop behind the car in the right 1/3 of the traffic lane ○  Jump the curb and wait at the crosswalk to turn
6. In most states, a bicyclist: ○  Must always yield to other vehicles ○  Always has the right of way ○  Has the same rights and responsibilities as drivers of vehicles
7. Adults must wear a CPSC helmet while biking. ○  True ○  False
8. Wearing a helmet has been proven to mitigate head and brain injuries: ○  More than 80 percent of the time ○  50 percent of the time ○  All the time
9. A car is pulling out of an alley, parking lot or driveway on your right. You should: ○  Make eye contact or wave if necessary ○  Slow down if you can’t make eye contact ○  Be visible by riding with a headlight and wearing bright clothing ○  Ride further left so it is easier for the driver to see you ○  All of the above
10. What percentage of bicyclists age 16 and older who were killed in 2011 had blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) at or above 0.08 percent? ○  35 percent ○  2 percent ○  10 percent ○  25 percent Now, check the answers below to see how you did.
Bike Quiz Answers  
1) Illegal – Biking against traffic on a two-way street or against traffic on a one-way street is illegal and dangerous.
2) Must come to a complete stop – When at a stop sign or red light, you must come to a complete stop just like motorists.
3) At night – A headlight and a reflector must be used on a bicycle at night in most states.
4) Ride far enough left to avoid opening doors – When passing parked car, bicyclists should ride far enough left to avoid opening doors. This is called “getting doored.”
5) Stop behind the car in the right 1/3 of the traffic lane – When making a right turn at a red light or a stop sign and there is a car in the right lane, you should pull in behind the car in the right 1/3 of the traffic lane. You will then be visible to the cars in front and back of you.
6) Has the same rights and responsibilities as drivers of vehicles – In most states, a bicycle is considered a vehicle and has the same rights and responsibilities as other drivers.
7) More than 80 percent of the time – Studies and statistics show that wearing a helmet has been proven very effective at mitigating head and brain injuries.
8) False – No state has a law requiring adult bicyclists to wear a helmet. However most require children under 18 to wear a helmet.
9) All of the above – A car pulling out of an alley, parking lot or driveway on your right is a common scenario for bicycle accidents.
10) 25 percent – The percentage of bicyclists age 16 and older who were killed in 2011 had blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) at or above 0.08 percent was 25 percent.