The future of bicycle safety could protect against brain injuries

It should be no surprise to the people of Pittsburgh that bicycle accidents can lead to brain injuries. Certainly, if a cyclist isn’t wearing a helmet it can increase the risk of traumatic injuries, but bikers’ brains may be at risk even with a helmet on. The fact of the matter is, if a car hits a bicyclist, the injuries are going to be severe, even if the cyclist is otherwise careful. A negligent driver can easily cause brain injuries in even the safest of bikers.

So, the goal, then, should be to prevent car-bicycle accidents in the first place. While many cities have started creating green bike lanes and otherwise encourage biking, if cyclists don’t feel safe riding in urban areas, they won’t.

Four engineering students must have realized this and have invented piece of equipment that will go far to help prevent crashes. Even though the Interactive Bicyclist Accident Prevention System is not yet on the market, at least one city has taken an interest in it. While it is not Pittsburgh, this kind of technology could really help keep Pennsylvania bikers safer.

Traumatic brain injuries can be extremely serious injuries, much as the name implies. they can cause significant changes to an individual’s personality, leave him or her unable to work, and otherwise interfere with many aspects of his of her life. If that injury can be linked back to a negligent driver, however, at least the injured cyclist can seek out compensation for his or her injuries.

Source: The Boston Globe, “‘Smart Bike’ focuses on safety,” Martine Powers, Feb. 16, 2014