DES MOINES, Iowa — It's a beautiful month to go on a bike ride. Sam Morris is a bicyclist that rides on an elite team called Above and Beyond Cancer by Bike World. Sam is no stranger to riding his bike in high traffic situations spending upwards of 15 to 20 hours a week on the bike among cars
"The bike community is very close. Everyone knows someone who's been struck by a vehicle, unfortunately," Morris said. "It's nice to have a little bit of space. Sometimes cars don't necessarily give you that space, you would hope. I mean, some roads are not necessarily as set up for cyclists."
It's not just on roads that people must be on guard for. Experienced cyclist and bicycle salesman Greg France shared common rules to follow on trails too.
"Walking on the correct side of the trail, which is the right side is where you're supposed to walk. When you're out walking on the streets, they want you to walk against traffic, while on trails, you're supposed to walk with traffic. So it's always good having a bell to announce or at least seeing on your left or biker back or whatever so that you don't scare people," France said.
Even with all Sam's training, there are still opportunities for dangerous situations.
According to the CDC Transportation and Safety data, nearly 1,000 bicyclist die, and over 130 thousand are injured in crashes every year in the United States.
"Someone who's driving is basically a weapon, or a motorized weapon and we're out in tight clothing on road bikes. So, it can be a little scary," Morris said.
Before you kick up that kickstand and get ridding make sure that you are prioritizing your safety this summer.
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