Bicyclists are some of the most vulnerable road users because they are left largely unprotected if they are involved in an accident.
While bikes have the same rights and responsibilities on the road as do cars, in many cases drivers fail to recognize this or fail to notice bicyclists on the road altogether.
It is therefore important for bicyclists to make themselves as visible as possible and to take preventative steps to ensure their own safety.
Knowing how to safely use the road is a key part of minimizing the threat of an accident.
Common Dangers Bicyclists must be constantly vigilant on the road and always be ready to act at a moment's notice to avoid a potential danger.
Some of the common hazards that bicyclists must cope with include:

• Road obstructions.
  Parked cars, trash cans, and debris can all block a cyclist's path in the bike lane or the right lane of a road.
  Potholes, cracks, grates, and gutters can also be extremely dangerous if a cyclist's wheel is caught.
  
• Slippery Roads.
  On rainy days or in areas that have been freshly watered, roads can be slick.
  Many bikes have small brake pads and thin tires that may lose their grip in wet weather.
  
• Inattentive Drivers.
  Some drivers do not properly look for bicyclists on the road, even when the cyclist is clearly obvious to others.
  Some of these drivers are distracted because they are talking on the phone, texting, conversing with someone in the car, or messing with the radio.
  
• Reckless Drivers.
  Some drivers notice bikes but fail to act safely around them.
  They may tailgate, cut in front of, pass too closely to, or otherwise endanger cyclists.
  

Riding Safety Tips Unfortunately the above hazards will likely always exist in some form or another.
The best protection a cyclist can have is to be vigilant and take steps to ride safely.
All cyclists should follow these safety tips while riding:

• Communicate with others on the road.
  Always use hand signals when changing direction or speed, such as changing lanes, turning, slowing, or stopping.
  
• Make eye contact.
  By looking at drivers and making sure they see you, you can be sure that you can safely ride by.
  If a driver isn't looking at you, be prepared to avoid him or her if necessary.
  Making eye contact also humanizes bicyclists to drivers and make them realize that cyclists are indeed vulnerable on the road.
  
• Make yourself visible at all times.
  Wear brightly colored clothing on your rides, preferably with reflective stripes.
  Equip your bike with at least one bright front and bike light for overcast weather and night riding.
  
• Ride to the right.
  On wide roads, keep to the right of the rightmost lane if there is no bike lane available.
  If the lanes are narrow and you do not feel that a car could safely pass you within the lane, take the full lane so that drivers know they should switch lanes to pass you.
  Do not ride to the far right if the road is too bumpy and you feel unsafe.
  
• Be predictable.
  Ride in a straight line as much as possible and follow all traffic signals and signs.
  Do not dart in and out between parked cars and other obstructions; drivers may not see you.
  Keep as far to the right as safely practicable and signal well in advance of when you need to change direction or speed.
  
• Keep a three foot distance from parked cars.
  One of the most common injuries for cyclists is getting "doored".
  Drivers parked on the side of the road may not look to see if the way is clear before opening their door, causing a cyclist to crash.
  Keeping a three foot distance from parked cars prevents you from being injured by an inattentive driver exiting his or her car.