The last thing that an avid cyclist wants to experience is a crash. Most cyclists go to great lengths to ensure their safety on the road. They add safety features to their bicycles, such as aftermarket illuminated turn signals. They wear high-visibility gear and helmets. The problem is that cyclists have to share the road with drivers.
Quite a few drivers openly display their disdain for those who travel by bicycle. They sometimes behave aggressively towards cyclists and traffic by encroaching on the bicycle lane next to the car lane or by shouting at them in traffic. Other times, drivers act as if a bicycle isn’t on the road near them at all. In fact, quite a few cyclists end up hurt and crashes caused by drivers who claim they didn’t see the bicycle next to them or across the intersection from them.
How do drivers fail to see a bicycle rider in fluorescent-colored gear?
Driving Produces Too Much Visual Information
Constant observation of one’s surroundings is necessary for safety in traffic. Unfortunately, especially when traveling at high speeds, there is too much visual information for the brain to consciously process all of it. The brain has to prioritize certain traffic considerations above others.
Frequently, the focus is on what seems like it could be safety critical. Bigger vehicles like semi-trucks and obstacles in the road can quickly catch someone’s attention in traffic. The brain registers those items as a clear safety concern.
A cyclist, on the other hand, is easy for a driver to overlook. The brain recognizes that a cyclist is smaller and therefore not truly a threat. Instead of calling a driver’s attention to the cyclist ahead, the brain may focus on other potential hazards nearby.
Drivers can counteract this natural phenomenon known as inattentional blindness by making a point of looking for bicycles. Intentionally mentally focusing on nearby bicycles makes them easier to spot and drastically reduces the chances of a driver striking and injuring a cyclist.
If a driver tries to blame a crash on their inability to spot a cyclist, it is unlikely that the cyclist contributed to that issue. The fault may lie entirely with the driver who failed to make proactive monitoring of their surroundings a priority. Holding a driver accountable for a bicycle crash might involve a lawsuit or a complicated insurance claim. Cyclists who understand why drivers cause crashes may feel empowered when taking action after a collision.The post Why drivers often fail to spot cyclists, even those with visibility gear first appeared on Haxel Law.