The Tennessee Highway Patrol wants both drivers and bicyclists to be mindful of each other on the roadway this summer.
Cookeville Captain R.C. Christian said the rules of the road apply to more than just those behind the wheel.
“People need to realize that if you’re in an automobile you have to abide by the law, but so do the bicyclists as well,” Christian said. “They have to be mindful of the traffic signs and traffic control devices and things such as that. They can make turns at certain locations but they need to do so in a safe manner as well.”
The Tennessee Department of Safety’s traffic fatality report shows one bicyclist has died in 2019. That number remains flat compared this time last year.
Christian said traffic accidents involving cyclists carry the potential for serious injury.
“The ratio of you [on a bike] compared to that of an automobile is two different things,” Christian said. “You’ve got to use a little common sense. Even though you’ve got some rights that are available to you as far as using the roadway, you want to do so in a safe manner… If you have an impact with a car, the probability of you getting injured is a lot higher.”
Christian encourages cyclists to wear proper safety equipment while riding, especially when it comes to children under 16 years old.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol responded to an incident in Livingston earlier this week involving a city worker and a 13-year-old juvenile riding his bike.
The incident report stated the teen was transported to Livingston Regional Hospital after colliding with the worker’s vehicle along Chestnut Avenue.
