Millions of American’s stay in shape through fun activities such as cycling and running. For many individuals, these therapeutic activities take place on the road, and as much as we enjoy them, there are risks involved when alongside passing vehicles. For pavement pounding athletes, staying safe while roadside is just as important as staying active. Good news for all of us, whether weekend warrior or competing athlete, safety gear has gone high-tech.
Any quick search on your favorite sporting goods website is bound to flood your screen with dozens of cool new products, all designed to keep runners and cyclists safe while roadside. These are not your mom’s old blinking bike clips. Everything from reflective vests and headlamps has undergone huge upgrades, making them high-tech and even safer. Now you can find things like low light reflective socks, personal safety alarms, and GPS tracking pedometers. If you’re wondering why anyone would need these types of safety gear, consider this: According to a statistic by RoadID, more than 120,000 walkers, runners, and cyclists are hit by passing cars each year.
For avid cyclists and runners, staying safe is no easy task. Geography, weather conditions and passing vehicles are all threats. While proper planning can usually take care of weather and route issues, we have little control over the behavior and attention of other drivers. However, keeping ourselves highly visible and prepared may help.
Whether you’re a competing athlete or novice, training roadside is dangerous even with the best gear and gadgets. Although, you can plan for just about anything, you can’t plan for the negligence of others. If you have suffered an injury while running, walking or cycling, consider speaking to an experienced personal injury attorney.
