A new research study suggests that more people using bikes in addition to traditional vehicles could be better for road safety overall. Do cyclists make better drivers? Greater awareness and experience on a bike makes for a more informed motor vehicle driver, according to research. 

According to some industry advocates, cyclists pay attention to their surroundings as if their life depends on it because it does. Potential hazards and being blind to them could put a cyclist at risk of a critical accident and life-changing injuries. A new study published in Accident Analysis and Prevention states that 42 drivers with and without cycling experience were examined in a flicker task.

The drivers who were also bicyclists detected all of the changes between typical road scenarios more quickly and were also much faster at detecting whether a bicycle had appeared or not. According to industry research, up to 12% of serious injury crashes for bicyclists were due to a failure to search for or identify road hazards. The study concluded that cyclists make better drivers. 

A cyclist may be more likely to notice these scenarios and to avoid them when behind the car because of their own experience as a bicycle rider. Many drivers who have not had any bicycling experience at least in the busy San Diego area might not realize the many hazards presented to a typical cyclist. If you or someone you know has already been hurt in a bicycling accident that you believe was caused by another person’s negligence, prompt help from an experienced lawyer is necessary.