Bicycle Safety Tips for Riding With Your Dog
Many people love long bike rides and enjoy bringing their dogs along with them. Although we can certainly understand the sentiment, at Cyclist At Law we believe that bikers should seriously consider all bicycle safety issues in order to determine whether it is something you can do safely. Here are a few things to think about when deciding if your dog should accompany you on your next ride.
1. Make Sure It Is an Appropriate Activity for Your Pet
Visibility is a big issue when bringing your pet with you on a ride. Smaller dogs are difficult for drivers and other bikers to see, and this may cause serious accidents. If you have a medium-sized dog such as a Labrador, it is probably big enough for others to see it easily; anything smaller and you may want to leave your pet at home.
2. Use the Right Equipment
As with many bicycle safety issues, using good equipment is a great step in the right direction. To have your dog run as you ride, you probably want to invest in a specialty dog leash that is made specifically for biking. You may also want to use a harness instead of a standard collar because this will be less restrictive for your pet.
3. Outfit the Dog With Reflectors
Most responsible bike riders would never use a bike that didn’t have proper reflectors. The same logic should go for your dog’s safety. Be sure to put some reflectors on your dog’s collar and/or leash to ensure that cars will be able to see it easily.
Even with these bicycle safety precautions, accidents can still happen. If you are looking for a Dallas bicycle injury attorney who understands what it is like to be a lifelong bicycling enthusiast and will fight for your legal rights, contact Cyclist At Law at 972-392-1249.