By Andrew Fish / Leader Staff

A bicycle accident several weeks ago at the intersection of Highway 93 and First avenue east highlights the need for bicycle safety awareness.

The accident involved Robert Jennings, 12, of Turtle Lake and an unidentified motorist. According the police investigation of the accident, it occurred when Jennings cut in front of the motorist as she was preparing to make a right turn. Investigating officer Bill Barron of the Polson Police said the motorist was not at fault and no citations were issued.

Jennings did not come away unscathed though. He ended in the emergency room where he got 16 staples in his head and his bike was destroyed. Jennings said the whole affair was "quite scary."

Safety Awareness

When bicycle safety is mentioned, one item that most people instantly think about is a bicycle helmet. Using statistics from various sources, including the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute estimates that wearing a bicycle helmet reduces chances of a brain injury in a cycling accident between 45-85 percent. The institute is a non-profit group based in Virginia that focuses on bicycle helmets. The group originally formed as the Washington Area Bicyclist Association Helmet Committee and began testing helmets in 1974.

A properly worn helmet is a great first step towards safe riding. After his experience, Jennings had this to say, "Always wear a helmet."

But there is much more to bike safety than wearing a helmet.

John Forester is a noted bicycle safety expert. His 1976 book "Effective Cycling" was the first book in the U.S. to deal with general bicycle safety. Contacted at his office in Southern California, Forester's first advice was to stay upright. "Don't fall off," joked Forester and then added, "It's important to know how to handle your bicycle."

Forester said that a key element of bike safety is to follow the rules of the road. Effective cycling courses teach the skills necessary to ride safely as a part of traffic. According to Forester studies of effective cycling classes have shown that even children in the third grade can learn to be effective cyclists. Post training observation revealed that 95-percent of third graders that go through an effective cycling course retain and use the information. Forester added for comparison that only 55-percent of adults retain and use the information they receive through an effective cycling course. Forester added that riding on the sidewalk, especially against traffic is the least safe way to ride a bicycle. Studies have shown that riding the proper direction is the safest way. ". If you ride properly, your accident rate will be 80-percent less than others," said Forester.

In addition to writing the original bicycle safety manual Forester has also served as an expert witness in bicycle cases that find their way into the court system. Through this role, he came to the conclusion that Federal standards for an all reflector system are inadequate. Forester was quite blunt with his opinion on it "The Federal safety commission all reflector system is deadly."

Forester said that studies of bicycle-automobile collisions at night show that 75-percent of these accidents occur with automobiles that are coming from in front of the cyclist. "Drivers have to be alerted that you are coming that way," said Forester.

To ride safely at night, Forester says a headlight is imperative. In addition to a front facing headlamps, he strongly recommends a taillight. He stresses that headlamps and tail lamps are brighter and more affordable than ever due to Light Emitting Diode technology. Known as "LEDs" these lamps use less power and are more affordable than incandescent lamps of the past. They are also widely available. However it's important to remember that lights need use the same colors as motor vehicles- white for front and red for rear. Not only is it the safe thing to do, but it is a requirement of the law. Montana Code Annotated 61-8-607 requires that headlamps emit a white light visible from 500 feet to the front of the bicycle. While rear lamps are not required, if they are used they are required to be red.

Officer Barron also stressed something that Forester also touched on. "People riding bikes need to understand they're under the same rules as motor vehicles," said Barron. He then added, "They need to watch out, too. They're a lot smaller than a vehicle."

Following the rules of the road is not only safe thing, it's what the law requires. One of the most commonly overlooked laws that was applicable in this case is MCA 61-8-608. It requires that "a person operating a vehicle by human power upon and along a sidewalk or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk has all the rights and duties applicable to a pedestrian under the same circumstances." In other words, walk your bicycle through a crosswalk.

Happy Ending

While Jennings walked away from this accident with a nasty cut and a good scare, his bike wasn't so lucky- it was destroyed. So, staff from the Leader, Wal-Mart, and the Polson Police department worked together to help out. On Monday, Officer Barron met Jennings and his parents at the Polson Wal-Mart to give him some good news- Wal-Mart was going to donate a new bike to him. Jennings' mother told Barron that it was the first time that she had seen him smile since the accident.

Thank you to Dave Tolley of Wal-Mart, Earl Hanneman of the Leader, and Bill Barron of the Polson Police for working to Robert Jennings a new bike.