Advocacy & Safety - Most bicycle accidents are crashs from the FRONT?

Just stumbled upon this article (http://www.cyclelicio.us/2010/bicycle-lights/). The author says:

"70% of bicycle crashes are from the front. If I had to choose between front and back lights, I’d pick the front.

Think about this: a motorist approaching from behind has his headlights shining directly at you. Unless you’re a complete bike ninja with black clothes on a black bike and a black backpack, the motorist at least has a chance of seeing you. He has headlights to ensure he doesn’t run over stationary hazards on the road, so hopefully he’ll see moving objects as well. Even cars with broken taillights aren’t invisible to following traffic."

Is it so? But usually the tail light is the most recommended and is required by law.

According to Hurst's Art of Cycling, 90% of car-bicycle collisions in urban areas involve turning or crossing. As in, turning into or across your line of travel. Which is a lot more likely if other road users cannot see a cyclist on account of their lack of headlights. Even during the day I run my headlight on blink, to try and catch the eye of motorists wishing to cross my path. If I had to choose between a front and rear light (which I don't, with two taillights, two headlights, and spare batteries at the ready), I would ride very, very carefully.

Is it so? But usually the tail light is the most recommended and is required by law.

In Illinois only a head light and rear reflector are required by law for night riding. I think many states are the same.

In Illinois only a head light and rear reflector are required by law for night riding. I think many states are the same.

CO: Headlight, red rear reflector, side reflectors.

The law in every state requires a white front light, while most give the option for either a red tail light or a red reflector in the rear.

(Shrug)

I've had six or seven times I've made contact with a car in the last 10 years, all of them were either (1)passing cars clipping me or (2)passing cars hitting on the brakes immediately after they passed and I bumped into the back of them.

None were serious incidents. And none of them had anything to do with visibility.

The only reason a car would hit you from the front is if you were travelling in the opposite lane, against traffic.

Get both lights. They're cheap.

Collisions from the front often have to do with intersections. It's not that they can't see you, it's that they miss you while looking at other things they perceived as more important. Plus, you're closing on each other at 20-30mph faster than you would from the rear.

The only reason a car would hit you from the front is if you were travelling in the opposite lane, against traffic.

Forget left turning cars for a minute.

You've never seen a car on the wrong side of the road in Kitchener? Ever?

Most car-bike collisions do involve intersection and crossing movements, and so it is the front or nearly front of the bike that collides with the car. This is especially the case in urban areas, where less than 5% of car-bike crashes involve traffic approaching or passing from behind the cyclist. In darkness, other drivers about to cross your path will have a hard time seeing you coming if you don't have a headlamp. So get a headlamp.

Overtaking collisions at night do make up a substantial percentage of fatal car-bike collisions. At least 2/3 of these collisions involve cyclists without lights. The rear reflectors that come with bikes are much less visible than red LED lamps. So get a rear LED lamp. They're not expensive.

As far as fatalities go http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/People/PeoplePedalcyclists.aspx#ctl00_PageContent_ctlStYrPplPedCyc3_lblTableName
The front is at 84.8% (92.8% for just cars)

Forget left turning cars for a minute.

You've never seen a car on the wrong side of the road in Kitchener? Ever?

Yes, to both arguments. But as the danger is coming from the front, I can see it and avoid it.

I did overlook the intersection thing tho. If a car pulls out in front of me while biking, while I have the right of way, there is little I can do to avoid that. Blinkies would be useful in that case.

Thanks. Looks like I mis-remembered the law. After reading your replies, I found NY law, and it says (man, a looong sentence!):

"(a) Every bicycle when in use during the period from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise shall be equipped with a lamp on the front which shall emit a white light visible during hours of darkness from a distance of at least five hundred feet to the front and with a red light visible to the rear for three hundred feet. Effective July first, nineteen hundred seventy-six, at least one of these lights shall be visible for two hundred feet from each side."

I think many like myself took rear light more seriously because we ourselves can't see behind.


But as the danger is coming from the front, I can see it and avoid it.

It can happen that you see it but can not avoid it--too late, or there are other cars surrounding you.

Light during the day WILL NOT prevent front accidents. Those dopes driving cars either don't care if they turn in front of you, or they didn't see you, in either case a light will not stop them from doing what they do. If you can't see a cyclist in broad daylight there's no hope for you! This has been proven with motorcycles, they run with their lights on during the day and they still get hit, and their lights are much larger and brighter then little bicycle lights that would be completely unnoticeable in the day light.

The only time I turn on my lights, then it's only the flashers, is if its a dark day.

I think many like myself took rear light more seriously because we ourselves can't see behind.

If you use a mirror you can see behind.



Think about this: a motorist approaching from behind has his headlights shining directly at you. Unless you’re a complete bike ninja with black clothes on a black bike and a black backpack, the motorist at least has a chance of seeing you. He has headlights to ensure he doesn’t run over stationary hazards on the road, so hopefully he’ll see moving objects as well. Even cars with broken taillights aren’t invisible to following traffic."

Do you really want to wait until the cars lights shine on you to be seen? Considering drivers regularly over drive their head lights, I'd say no.

Some of my riding is on narrow higher speed roads where there are often few intersection / crossing issues. In this instance a good tail light is probably more important than a bright headlight. Of course I still recommend both.

Light during the day WILL NOT prevent front accidents. Those dopes driving cars either don't care if they turn in front of you, or they didn't see you, in either case a light will not stop them from doing what they do. If you can't see a cyclist in broad daylight there's no hope for you!
Ridiculous statement. I can see drivers from cross streets react to my flashing headlight. Their head swivels toward me and they check their speed.

This has been proven with motorcycles, they run with their lights on during the day and they still get hit, and their lights are much larger and brighter then little bicycle lights that would be completely unnoticeable in the day light.

The only time I turn on my lights, then it's only the flashers, is if its a dark day.
Ridiculous argument. By this logic, you shouldn't bother to use your lights at night either.

I have always considered a daytime flashing front light to be useless...BUT...

A couple weeks ago I was riding along and noticed flashes from the sun reflecting off either the glass or bright metal from a vehicle down the road.
At this point it was probably 1/2 mile away, and I hadn't even seen it yet.
As I got closer I was surprised to see it was a *bike* with a flashing front light.

If you use a mirror you can see behind.

Only when you look at the mirror. You can't keep looking at the mirror constantly, and oftentimes a car or truck passed by me nearly touching me which I would have been prepared had I been looking at the mirror seconds before.

Light during the day WILL NOT prevent front accidents. Those dopes driving cars either don't care if they turn in front of you, or they didn't see you, in either case a light will not stop them from doing what they do. If you can't see a cyclist in broad daylight there's no hope for you! This has been proven with motorcycles, they run with their lights on during the day and they still get hit, and their lights are much larger and brighter then little bicycle lights that would be completely unnoticeable in the day light.

Yet it's also been proven with motorcycles that daytime running lights significantly reduce accidents, and modulated headlights do so more than steady headlights.

Nothing will prevent all accidents, but turning your back on substantial improvements because they aren't perfect is counterproductive.


Personally, I use a smaller helmet-mounted headlight that definitely helps with being seen by cars. I don't run it most of the time in daylight, but turn it on for areas with difficult visual environments or fast traffic.

I did overlook the intersection thing tho. If a car pulls out in front of me while biking, while I have the right of way, there is little I can do to avoid that. D'oh! But it's okay to overlook this small point, only 70-80% of bike-car collisions happen this way, after all.

Yet it's also been proven with motorcycles that daytime running lights significantly reduce accidents, and modulated headlights do so more than steady headlights.

Nothing will prevent all accidents, but turning your back on substantial improvements because they aren't perfect is counterproductive.


Personally, I use a smaller helmet-mounted headlight that definitely helps with being seen by cars. I don't run it most of the time in daylight, but turn it on for areas with difficult visual environments or fast traffic.

My point with motorcycles was NOT that they had gotten hit less with lights on but rather when hit the driver never saw them and MC's use a large headlight with some that modulate in the daytime. Now your going to take a bicycle with a small little headlight without the power of the larger ones and think drivers are going to notice you? Forget about it.

Only when you look at the mirror. You can't keep looking at the mirror constantly, and oftentimes a car or truck passed by me nearly touching me which I would have been prepared had I been looking at the mirror seconds before.

Properly adjusted helmet or eye glass mounted mirrors make it easy to safely monitor often enough to always be aware of conditions behind. If I'm ever surprised by an overtaking vehicle I mentally chastise myself for not paying proper attention. Having said that, I don't see what being able (or not able) to see behind has to do with running lights.


My point with motorcycles was NOT that they had gotten hit less with lights on but rather when hit the driver never saw them and MC's use a large headlight with some that modulate in the daytime. Now your going to take a bicycle with a small little headlight without the power of the larger ones and think drivers are going to notice you? Forget about it.

Motorcycles also are often traveling much faster than bicycles, and their headlights don't flash.

I find I get less "pull out" infringement on my right of way while running my light.

Motorcycles also are often traveling much faster than bicycles, and their headlights don't flash.

I find I get less "pull out" infringement on my right of way while running my light.

+1

I have never been hit, but the close calls I've had all involve cars from the side or front. It make sense since the closing distance to a vehicle approaching you is significantly higher than a vehicle you are overtaking.

Motorcycles also are often traveling much faster than bicycles, and their headlights don't flash.



Some don't modulate? really? http://www.gadgetjq.com/headlightmodulator.htm

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Reviewed-motorcycle-products/comagination/visipath/visipath.htm

And here's the part: http://www.customdynamics.com/signal_dynamics_diamond_star_headlight_modulator.htm

Some don't modulate? really? http://www.gadgetjq.com/headlightmodulator.htm

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Reviewed-motorcycle-products/comagination/visipath/visipath.htm

And here's the part: http://www.customdynamics.com/signal_dynamics_diamond_star_headlight_modulator.htm

Sweet, I've never seen this on a motorcycle, but I bet it would help for being noticed. Probably much too nerdy for some though.

Light during the day WILL NOT prevent front accidents. .


http://ibiblio.org/rdu/DRLs/studies.htm

http://www.bmj.com/content/328/7444/857.full

edit: Every study says lights help, there are simply no studies saying how much light helps. While certainly there is probably a dropoff in effectiveness depending on how bright the light is, what is that dropoff? What amount of lumens do you need to still be effective? A blanket statement like "bike lights won't work" is not based on any science.

Sweet, I've never seen this on a motorcycle, but I bet it would help for being noticed. Probably much too nerdy for some though.

That's weird, because here in Indiana I've actually seen quite a few from Harleys to crotchrockets. If you have MC I would strongly recommend you get this because it does make you notice them fast and from a distance.

http://ibiblio.org/rdu/DRLs/studies.htm

http://www.bmj.com/content/328/7444/857.full

edit: Every study says lights help, there are simply no studies saying how much light helps. While certainly there is probably a dropoff in effectiveness depending on how bright the light is, what is that dropoff? What amount of lumens do you need to still be effective? A blanket statement like "bike lights won't work" is not based on any science.

Wow, where's the science related to onlyh bicycles on those two sites? There was not one, it was about cars and motorcycles which all use much larger lights then on a bicycle thus quicker to see in the daytime. A car moving at 45mph is not going to notice a little 1 1/2 inch diameter headlight, they might notice it if it's flashing, but the key word is might. Cars don't pay the same respect to cyclists as they do to MC's or cars.

A car moving at 45mph is not going to notice a little 1 1/2 inch diameter headlight, they might notice it if it's flashing, but the key word is might.
A car will definitely not notice the light, but it's driver probably will.:)

Some don't modulate? really? http://www.gadgetjq.com/headlightmodulator.htm

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Reviewed-motorcycle-products/comagination/visipath/visipath.htm

And here's the part: http://www.customdynamics.com/signal_dynamics_diamond_star_headlight_modulator.htm

You fail to mention that those are all aftermarket add-ons that the majority of people don't use. Most motorcycles don't have flashing headlights. I live in L.A... millions of vehicles here and I don't think i've ever seen more than a couple motorcycles with modulating headlights in the 15 years i've lived here.

Personally, I always run my headlight during the day, in flash mode. I believe it helps some. If it doesn't.. well, I have rechargeable batteries so no big deal..

I don't get why you're so aggro against someone using a front light during the day... if you don't want to use one, then don't.

One subtle attention-grabbing benefit that's been lost in the switch from HIDs to LEDs is that little spectrum shift that the HID gives over rough roads.

I definitely watch for it myself, since I associate it with high-powered cars (no other bikes around here use HIDs).

One subtle attention-grabbing benefit that's been lost in the switch from HIDs to LEDs is that little spectrum shift that the HID gives over rough roads.

I definitely watch for it myself, since I associate it with high-powered cars (no other bikes around here use HIDs).

Thanks for making the association of HID headlights and high power. Our HID-equipped Prius much appreciated it. <G>

The only reason a car would hit you from the front is if you were travelling in the opposite lane, against traffic.


:lol: Just this morning I was pulling over into a left turn lane to get ready to enter an intersection and make a left hand turn. A big black SUV comes from the left on the other street, making a very wide right hand turn and went out of his lane and into mine and almost ran me over despite the fact I was in the right-hand side of the left turn lane. There are many ways an errant cager can attack a bicyclist.

You fail to mention that those are all aftermarket add-ons that the majority of people don't use. Most motorcycles don't have flashing headlights. I live in L.A... millions of vehicles here and I don't think i've ever seen more than a couple motorcycles with modulating headlights in the 15 years i've lived here.

Personally, I always run my headlight during the day, in flash mode. I believe it helps some. If it doesn't.. well, I have rechargeable batteries so no big deal..

I don't get why you're so aggro against someone using a front light during the day... if you don't want to use one, then don't.

I said before that here Indiana I see a lot of those modulating headlights.

I don't care if a person wants to ride a bicycle with his lights on in the daytime, but it's not doing anything for him safety wise other then making him feel like he's safer.

I don't care if a person wants to ride a bicycle with his lights on in the daytime, but it's not doing anything for him safety wise other then making him feel like he's safer.
Your claim makes no sense and is not backed up by any evidence.

Thanks for making the association of HID headlights and high power. Our HID-equipped Prius much appreciated it. <G>

So are you taking it as a compliment or an insult?

Your claim makes no sense and is not backed up by any evidence.

Your right!...But neither are your claims that using headlights on a bicycle has any evidence.

Your right!...But neither are your claims that using headlights on a bicycle has any evidence.

As has already been pointed out, daytime headlights on motorcycles decreases motorcycle collisions. On the most dangerous local highway (the Seward Highway), daytime headlights are mandatory, as they have been shown to increase detection time of oncoming traffic. Modern LED bicycle headlights are capable of putting out as much light as a car or motorcycle headlight. I run a two watt Planet Bike Superflash on flash mode whenever I'm on the road, night or day. It's bright (lights up signs up to four blocks away, even in the middle of the day) and obnoxious, and motorists visibly respond by backing up and not cutting me off.

Many cyclists have had positive experiences with flashing headlights during the day. I've personally had several motorists stop and ask me what kind of headlight I was running, because it was so noticeable. If you really doubt the ability of a blinking headlight to alert motorist to your presence, why not give it a try? Buy a decently bright headlight with a flash mode, and ride around your city. If it doesn't work for you, then ditch it.

Where no study has been done, and no statistical evidence is available, all we have to go on is anecdotes. Anecdotal evidence seems to suggest that cyclists who run a blinking headlight notice an increase in motorist awareness of their presence. Unfortunately, anecdotal evidence can be far from true. So the best bet is to just try it for your self and see.

GriddleCakes WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT MOTORCYCLES or CARS. And yes I use a blinker on the front because it does attract attention, but I don't use one during the day, because I have yet to see a blinking headlight used in the day that was bright enough to attract attention. Now maybe the few that I've seen were just weaker older versions, I don't know, I didn't pull them over and ask. But in broad daylight the size of a bicycle light at 1" in diameter will just get lost in the background. Maybe if you buy a $1,200 headlight putting out 1,400 lumens then you may be right, that might work. Because you see, to have the same intensity of a car headlight you need 1,000 lumens to be the same as an older 9006 car bulb on dim, not 700 or so; but there's still that nasty little 1" diameter lens. And a lot of newer cars are running over 3,000 lumens. And guess how many lights I've seen on the road living in a city of 300,000 people that were putting out that kind of light levels (based on just the older 9006)? ZERO. In fact my little 250 lumen light is among the brightest I've seen!! So super bright lights over 450 lumens are not the norm.

Maybe some day a 1,400+ lumen light will be cheap enough for the general population to buy one, but that's not happening anytime soon.

GriddleCakes WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT MOTORCYCLES or CARS. And yes I use a blinker on the front because it does attract attention, but I don't use one during the day, because I have yet to see a blinking headlight used in the day that was bright enough to attract attention. Now maybe the few that I've seen were just weaker older versions, I don't know, I didn't pull them over and ask. But in broad daylight the size of a bicycle light at 1" in diameter will just get lost in the background. Maybe if you buy a $1,200 headlight putting out 1,400 lumens then you may be right, that might work. Because you see, to have the same intensity of a car headlight you need 1,000 lumens to be the same as an older 9006 car bulb on dim, not 700 or so; but there's still that nasty little 1" diameter lens. And a lot of newer cars are running over 3,000 lumens. And guess how many lights I've seen on the road living in a city of 300,000 people that were putting out that kind of light levels (based on just the older 9006)? ZERO. In fact my little 250 lumen light is among the brightest I've seen!! So super bright lights over 450 lumens are not the norm.

Maybe some day a 1,400+ lumen light will be cheap enough for the general population to buy one, but that's not happening anytime soon.

It's weird how committed and passionate you are to this argument, when you've already admitted that your claim makes no sense and isn't backed up by any evidence.

You should try this light (http://ecom1.planetbike.com/3045.html). Stands out against the background quite nicely, unless you're riding through Vegas. In which case, I doubt that there's anything you could run that'd stand out, day or night.

For what it's worth, I see numerous cyclists running flashers during the day, and they do stand out, to my eyes. Flashing lights don't get lost in the background any more than dayglo clothing does, provided it's a decent light. Most modern LED bike lights are bright enough to be seen from distances important to a cyclist, even during the day. Motorcycle headlights obviously need to be much stronger, seeing how fast they can travel. But lights that're less strong than automotive lights are still visible.

That's weird, because here in Indiana I've actually seen quite a few from Harleys to crotchrockets. If you have MC I would strongly recommend you get this because it does make you notice them fast and from a distance.

Modulating motorcycle headlights are actually an old feature that had been eliminated by improved technology -- when I had a motorcycle whose 6V battery was charged by a magneto that pulsed once per engine revolution, the voltage variation to the light was huge. As charging systems improved, headlight modulation decreased, to the point that some people now add it intentionally.

Note that many states regulate the percentage modulation and it's almost never actually a flashing headlight like a bicycle, it's a few % modulation, yet plenty to increase the conspicuity of the light.

But in broad daylight the size of a bicycle light at 1" in diameter will just get lost in the background. Maybe if you buy a $1,200 headlight putting out 1,400 lumens then you may be right, that might work. Because you see, to have the same intensity of a car headlight you need 1,000 lumens to be the same as an older 9006 car bulb on dim, not 700 or so; but there's still that nasty little 1" diameter lens

Indeed, this explains tens of thousands of car accidents every day -- it's simply impossible to notice those little yellow or red so-called "turn signals" in daylight, because they're so much smaller and dimmer than headlights -- many put out less than 100 lumens, vs. 700 lumens for a 9004 low-beam headlight.

Yet people expect other drivers to notice and react to "emergency flashers" and "turn signals" that are smaller and dimmer than bicycle headlights.

Ridiculous. No wonder all daytime motorists are already dead.

It's weird how committed and passionate you are to this argument, when you've already admitted that your claim makes no sense and isn't backed up by any evidence.

That's because I am weird. Now that we've got that cleared up, when the bicycle lights can reach 1400 1400 lumens and more at a price the general population can afford then you might have a valid argument for running with them on in the day time. And remember you didn't have any evidence that running a light on a bicycle saved lives either

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRgDiqdRMDxvjjSW2hzVsE3Tx_6YiSODQNvr2Aozi6svj1nY0Q&t=1&usg=__F5cJnB1SdMeLA-Y9-WdWauNJ0-8=
That's because I am weird. Now that we've got that cleared up, when the bicycle lights can reach 1400 1400 lumens and more at a price the general population can afford then you might have a valid argument for running with them on in the day time. And remember you didn't have any evidence that running a light on a bicycle saved lives either