Here are a few tips to help you prevent an accident so you can focus on the beauty of the fall leaves and the winter snow:

 How Cyclists can be Safe this Autumn 

A Helmet is a Must

Even if a helmet may feel bulky and uncomfortable at first, they are a necessary piece of safety equipment. A Helmet dramatically reduces your risk of head injury or death from a collision. No matter how severe the crash, a helmet can mean the difference between you walking away with minor injuries and waking up in the hospital.

Dress Appropriately

Have you ever noticed that most bicyclists are usually wearing bright colors like orange, yellow, or pink? The purpose is for these outfits to capture the eye of any other cyclists or vehicles that are approaching. Avoid colors that could make you blend into the background, like wearing black will make you hard to see at night. So, the brighter and more reflective the color, the better. Follow this even during the day. Reflective materials will assure that you are more visible to vehicle operators, other cyclists, and pedestrians.

Be Sure to Listen

You may want to listen to some music while you’re soaking in the surroundings, but this can inhibit your ability to hear other vehicles on the road. Avoid wearing earbuds, but if you must, wear only one. 

Obey Traffic Laws

Even though this may seem obvious, people forget that traffic signs and light signals were put in place to protect you. Come to full stops at all stop signs and obey all traffic lights. Vehicles are not the only ones held accountable for their neglect in this area.

Maintenance

The last thing you want is for your chain to break or your tire to pop while out on a lovely Saturday ride. A blown-out tire could also become a very hazardous situation. So, give your bicycle regular maintenance checks before hitting the road. Also, consider upgrading your bicycle with an excellent front and rear light/reflector to make you more visible during the day and night.

Communicate 

Signal your next move to other bicyclists and motorists the same way you were to use your blinkers while driving a motor vehicle.   

The post Safely Sharing the Road with Cyclists this Fall appeared first on The Law Offices of Roberto Hernandez, PLLC..

Given the scary statistics that come with traversing mountain passes and traveling canyon roads such as Parley’s Canyon, please be safe, cautious, and unimpaired. Sadly, Parley Canyon and our other canyons, such as Spanish Fork, Brighton, Sardine, Immigration, and Provo, carry deadly accident statistics. I have often heard of Parley’s Canyon is referred to as the most lethal of all of Utah’s canyon roads.

The Dangers of Parley’s Canyon 

Parley’s Canyon begins at I-215, where it merges with I-80 and ends at Parley’s Summit (at an elevation of 7,120 feet, it is the highest point of I-80 in the state). The lower part of the road tends to have quite a few twists and turns and can narrow in places. It is also on an incline/decline and is known for turbulent wind, weather, rain, and snow. This passage of road regularly experiences a high rate of semi-trucks and recreational vehicles. Drivers tend to become impatient when traveling behind semi-trucks and pass over double yellow lines or when it is not safe to do so. Semi-trucks can overheat or lose their breaks when descending mountainous passages. Too, canyons and mountains have lots of wildlife. To combat this, in December of 2018, a wildlife overpass was put in place in Parley’s Canyon that is over 50 feet wide and 320 feet long, allowing wildlife to pass over I-80 safely.

To complicate matters, many visitors travel through Utah’s canyons to enjoy their beauty or enjoy some of the “Greatest Snow on Earth.” We certainly appreciate our tourist community. Unfortunately, as visitors, these individuals can be unaccustomed to navigating inclines/declines, twist, turns, and weather conditions of mountain passages or canyon roads.

Travel Safely on Utah’s Roads

If out on an Autumn drive, or any time you are behind the wheel, buckle-up, adhere to posted speed limits, don’t drive distracted or impaired, and be cautious. However, relax, cherish the time spent in nature and create some lasting memories.  

The post Travel Safely in Utah During Autumn appeared first on The Law Offices of Roberto Hernandez, PLLC..