Accident Prevention Series Part 2: Passing From Behind

This is also a very common scenario when traveling on a bicycle. Due to your lower speed, drivers will generally be passing you frequently. It is when they also need to make a right turn into a side street or driveway that the danger occurs. Longer vehicles such as large trucks and vehicles with trailers leave larger blind spots for the driver and take longer to complete a turn. Complicating situations is a driver's perception that you are traveling much slower that you really are – giving the driver the mistaken belief that he/she has more time and space to make the right-hand turn across your pathway.

What to look for:

This situation is similar to when oncoming cars turn into your path.

• Be very aware of any driveways or intersections to your right where a driver could go.
• Pay attention to vehicles passing you from behind and their actions. Here you should be using your sense of hearing as well as looking to make eye contact with drivers. Listen to vehicles – are they accelerating, slowing or braking as they overtake you? Is the vehicle's turn signal on? (Are they even visible from your vantage point?) One universal defensive tactic is to make eye contact with the driver – in this case to see if he/she is turning the wheel or trying to judge whether they can make the turn safely around you (note the age of the driver – younger drivers may not appreciate relative distances to make a turn safely and elderly drivers may not judge distances and speed accurately.

Prevention

Again very similar to the situation where an oncoming vehicle is turning into your path. The first step is to recognize this dangerous situation. A place a driver could go and the signs that the driver is turning. Similarly riding two to three feet from the edge is key so you stand out and have some room to maneuver your bike. A solid working tail light is helpful. Avoid wearing anything that blocks your hearing and be mindful of what is happening around you. A good old fashion mirror either helmet mounted, bar mounted or on the glasses are inexpensive ways to see behind you without looking over your shoulder and swerving around all the time. On the technology front there are a wave of rear view cameras and radar like devices that can mount to your bike to warn of approaching vehicles.

Defensive Actions

At this point the driver is turning and you must assume that they have not seen you.

• Use the brakes - if you can stop or slow enough to avoid the collision do this first.
• If there is no time to safely reduce your speed to avoid a collision then look to turn with the car. Again this is a skilled action that you should be capable of.

Next up, Drivers Merging into or Crossing Your Pathway from Intersecting Streets or Driveways.