BY FRANK BABEL
On Hilton Head Island and in Bluffton, avoiding bike accidents can come down to a judgement call made in a millisecond. Here are some tips to avoid injuries:
For motorists:
- • Speed kills. Don’t speed.
- • Don’t roll through stop signs. At intersection look twice in both directions before entering traffic.
- • If you see a waiting bicyclist, make eye contact, and then decide who goes first.
- • When making right turns onto roads or driveways, look to the right for approaching cyclists.
For Everyone:
- • We all are the people responsible for safety: motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians. So please err on the side of caution, be patient, pay attention, and no texting or distracted driving.
For cyclists and pedestrians:
- • Most crashes happen at intersections. Always make eye contact with drivers of waiting vehicles at intersections.
- • Pay attention to what is around you.
- • Stop at roadway stop signs.
- • Be mindful that in South Carolina, motor vehicles have the right of way. So if a vehicle stops while you are waiting at a crosswalk, don’t go. Wait for a traffic opening. There may be a hidden approaching vehicle.
- • Cross arterial roads at signalized intersections or an underpass.
Frank Babel is Co-chair of Hilton Head Island Bicycle Advisory Committee.