Biking is a fun, healthy, and green way to travel. But if you’re a cyclist who loves taking long trips on the road and you’re not willing to pack a bag with basic medical tools and supplies, then you’re putting yourself and others at risk. Also, cyclists are an easy target for car accidents, especially when there are many cars on the road.
According to a recent study by the University of Washington, 30% of all cyclists who had been injured on their bicycle had gone without treating the most severe of the injuries. These injuries most often result in a trip to the emergency room or a long time off from cycling. If you have been injured on your bike, the most important thing you can do is to treat the injuries as soon as you can.
To avoid this danger, you can follow these safety tips when riding your bicycle. To begin with:
i) Keep the bike visible with the help of LED lights.
ii) It’s also important to make sure your bike is in top shape before you ride it.
iii) Properly check the brakes, tires, gears, chains, and the seat.
iv) While the most important gear is your helmet, it’s important to make sure you have appropriate shoes for biking, knee pads, elbow pads, gloves, and anything else you think might be helpful when riding your bike.
v) The more you ride, the more comfortable you will be with it. It’s also a good idea to familiarize yourself with the terrain you’re on.
vi) If you’re taking a route you haven’t traveled before, take your time and take note of the potential dangers.
viii) You should also wear long pants and sleeves to protect your skin.
If you follow these helpful tips, you can avoid accidents when riding through city traffic! But accidents can happen even after taking all due precautions. Cycling comes with the risk of minor injuries, which can include cuts, scrapes, and bruises. And for situations like that, it’s important to treat small injuries on the spot with the proper medical supplies and tools. Using a first aid kit is a great way to keep you and others safe. Try riding with a first aid kit and you’ll be more than prepared if something goes wrong!
Why Should Cyclists Carry A First Aid-Box?
Every cyclist should know how to deal with minor injuries. This is because minor injuries are common with cycling. It’s also because most cyclists don’t know how to treat them! Dealing with injuries is not hard, but you do need to know the basics. Stop by the local bike shop for some supplies like bandages, gauze, and ointment. These items will allow you to deal with the minor scrapes and bruises you may encounter. Should you need to stitch up a wound, just hold the skin taut with your hand, then stitch it up with your needle, thread, and ointment. Now you’re ready for the road again!
It’s important to know the basics of first-aid because you never know when you’ll need to know what to do in a tough spot. When you’re on a bicycle, being prepared with a first-aid kit is a necessity. Accidents can happen in a flash and without a proper kit, you may find yourself in a tough spot.
Here is a list of things every cyclist should carry in their emergency first aid toolbox:-
• Padding- One should have a roll of cotton wool in the kit.
• Eye care products: A first aid kit should have eye wash, gauze pads, eye pads and eye shields.
• Painkillers: The kit should have tablets for headaches, fever, aches and pains.
• Antiseptic wipes
• Alcohol wipes
• Sterile gloves
• Scissors
• Anti-inflammatory pain relief tablets
Spare inner tube, pump, puncture repair kit, puncture repair glue for repairing inner
• A whistle
• A pair of scissors
• Sunscreen
• A torch
• A bandage
• A card with emergency numbers
• Good quality bike lock
Qualities Of An Ideal First-Aid-Toolkit
• Light : It should be light, portable and can easily fit into any type of bicycle.
• Versatile : It should be used to address every type of medical problem.
• Ideal storage : It should easily be stored in your cycle’s frame.
• Durable : It should be made up of high-quality, durable materials.
The Bottom Line
The cycling world is dangerous. Each year, thousands of cyclists are injured, and hundreds of them are killed. There are so many ways to be injured, including getting run over by cars, falling off your bike, or getting hit by an errant ball. To avoid these situations, you need to be prepared with the right first-aid kit, know how to use it, and know how to respond to an injury.
Especially, if you are cycling in a busy city it is important to be aware of your surroundings. We believe you now know the importance of carrying a first aid box whenever you go outside to take a spin on your bike.
