Skate Safety > How to Avoid Getting Hit by a Car

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How to Avoid Getting Hit By Cars

10 Accidents Waiting to Happen and How to Avoid Them

(Editor's note: This article was adapted from Michael Bluejay's "How to Not Get Hit by Cars" at bikesafe.com.)

By Michael Bluejay

This article explains real ways you can get hit by cars and real ways to avoid them. It's a far cry from normal skate safety guides, which will tell you little more than to wear your helmet and follow the law. The fact of the matter is that wearing a helmet will do absolutely nothing to prevent you from getting hit by a car!

Sure, helmets might help you if you get hit (and it's a good idea to wear one). But your No. 1 goal should be to avoid getting hit in the first place.

Skaters, like bicyclists, are sometimes killed in car accidents even if they are wearing helmets. Ironically, some of those skaters would still be alive if they had followed the guidelines in this article.

Some skaters assume they are safe if they obey traffic laws. But following the law is not enough ... and in fact, can sometimes get you in trouble.

Here's an example: The law tells you to stay as far to the right as possible. But if you skate too far to the right, someone opening the door of a parked car might clobber you ... or a driver backing out of a driveway may not see you.

This article doesn't focus on the law. It focuses on how to avoid getting hit by cars. Now let's see how to do so.

(Go to Collision Type No. 1)

(Disclaimer: I have developed this article to provide what I believe is very good advice to help you avoid getting hit by cars. But of course, skating will never be 100 percent safe, and I can't guarantee you won't get hit by a car, even if you follow all the advice in this article. ... Naturally, I believe you will be much less likely to suffer a collision if you follow the recommendations. But ultimately, you are responsible for your own safety. M.B.)