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How To Avoid Personal Injury While Cycling During The Winter Months December 13, 2017

Seldom does anyone long for having a good reason to seek out a personal injury lawyer. Most people try to avoid painful injuries. Of course, the act of getting on a bike during the winter months does seem to invite the occurrence of accidents.Still, a growing number of men and women have chosen to perform such an act, and to do so repeatedly. They make a habit of riding a bicycle to work.

Suggested precautions for bike riders in the winter

Appreciate the value linked to a layering of your clothing. You are bound to feel cold as you start your trip. Soon, however, the movement of your legs will cause you to become warmer and warmer. Eventually, you might want to shed one of your multiple layers of clothing. Make sure that your outfit includes the proper items in each layer:

• An item made from a moisture-wicking material, one that gets placed closest to your skin.
• An item made from fleece or other warm material, and one that has been placed over the piece of clothing that is closest to your skin.
• A jacket made resistant to wind and water, and one that will get worn on top of the other layers.
• A pair of gloves that has been designed to keep the hand and fingers warm.
• Socks that can keep your feet warm, along with a knit cap. Ideally, it should be one that fits under your helmet and also protects your ears.
• An optional item to consider: a warm scarf, one that can be used to cover your mouth.

Facts that should not be ignored by the cyclist

Anyone that has chosen to ride a bicycle in the winter, especially a worker that will be riding that bike to the work-site must appreciate the relatively small window of time during which the sun shines. In addition, it is the time of year when skies can darken, due to the presence of snow-filled clouds.

For those reasons, it makes sense to invest in some reflective clothing, or at least a reflective vest. In addition, it is best to have the bike fitted with front and rear lights. The beams from those two lights can benefit from introduction of additional beams, those that come from a helmet light.

Be smart as you prepare to ride; ride with care

Consider getting some wider tires, or tires that have been equipped with studs. Still, do not use your new set of wheels as an excuse for cycling rapidly down the road. Instead, ride with extra caution, and try to avoid the need to make a sudden stop.

Even when the streets are free of ice and snow, you should not abandon your added precautions. Rather, you should look for signs of salt or sand, substances that remain on the road after the snow and ice have disappeared. However, despite the precautions, people do slip and fall or are injured due to no-fault of theirs. That is when you need to call in the personal injury lawyer in Spruce Grove.