Why cycling in the road is safer than on the sidewalk

You will sometimes see cyclists riding on the sidewalk. This is often prohibited – outside of children who are simply learning how to ride a bike – but some adults consider doing it anyway. When confronted, they will often simply say that they are afraid to ride in the street and that it feels to them like riding on the sidewalk makes them safer.

However, studies have found that the opposite is actually true. Riding on the sidewalk is more dangerous and increases the odds that the cyclist will be involved in an accident. This accident could involve a pedestrian, but it often involves a motor vehicle.

Why would the sidewalk be more dangerous?

The problem comes from expectations. Drivers expect cyclists to be in the road. Theoretically, a driver who is turning should check the bike lane to make sure a cyclist is not there before executing that maneuver.

But drivers are not looking for cyclists on the sidewalk. This means that accidents are common at intersections or driveways.

For instance, a driver who is turning into a parking lot may certainly look at the sidewalk to make sure there are no pedestrians in the way. But they are not looking far enough down the sidewalk to see a cyclist, who would be moving much quicker than a pedestrian. Since the driver does not expect the cyclist to be there, they execute what they think is a safe turn – and hit the cyclist on the sidewalk.

Riding safely

This shows why it is so important to understand how to ride safely and how to follow the proper rules of the road. Accidents can still happen, however, and an injured cyclist needs to know how to seek financial compensation for medical bills, lost wages and more.