Cycling Safely, Legal Issues & the Insurance You NEED

In this Find Your Edge podcast episode, host Chris Newport sits down Thomas Henson, Jr from HensonFuerst Attoneys. Thomas is not only an avid cyclist, but an experienced personal injury attorney.

Whether you or someone in your household is a cyclist, Thomas encourages them to get a specific type of insurance called Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Insurance. This is something that’s on your vehicle insurance.

In NC, motorists are supposed to carry $30,000 of insurance coverage for bodily harm (to others). But what happens if they don’t have it? Or if your medical bills and/or injury severity exceeds that? That’s where your UM/UIM kicks in. Thomas has this graphic to illustrate the comparison of medical bills to UM/UIM insurance coverage:

He also gives his own policy as an example of how much UM/UIM he has for himself. He wants everyone to see it so you know what to look for when you talk to your insurance agent:

 

What to do if you’re in a cycling accident

We talk about what to do if you’re actually in a cycling accident. These are important steps to follow and Thomas recommends placing this in your saddle bag as a reminder. Every situation is different, but these are great rules to follow including:

1. Seek medical attention (don’t put it off!)
2. Call 911 and request police
3. Don’t admit fault and be brief in your statements
4. Get as many witnesses as possible
5. Call a lawyer (you can reach Thomas at 919-781-1107 anytime)

What about your bike when involved in an accident?

We all know that bicycles aren’t cheap. Since this is the case, Thomas recommends keeping receipts of your gear (jerseys, shorts, computers, etc) and bike, which will be covered under property insurance. You can also talk to your bike shop about making sure your receipts and maintenance records are stored appropriately.

Best practices for cycling safely to avoid accidents

There are some easy steps to take to make sure you’re riding your bike safely. This includes:

• wearing your helmet (duh)
• wearing reflective clothing (no, black is NOT a good jersey color)
• using lights (red on the rear and white on the front–even during daytime, but especially at dawn or dusk)
• using hand signals
• know the rules of the road as they apply to cyclists in North Carolina (don’t roll through stop signs or red lights)
• use common sense (and keep your “f bombs” and middle fingers to yourself)
• having items like a GoPro or Bike Radar and/or mirrors

Want to train with us?

Learn more about our 1-on-1 coaching programs here or our Team Training Program here.

Follow us:

Instagram: @TheEnduranceEdge

Facebook: @TheEnduranceEdge

Have a guest or topic you want covered on the Find Your Edge podcast? Let us know!

Contact us and let us know!