All road users need to keep an eye out for hazards. Use caution when riding on slippery or uneven surfaces and loose material, and keep an eye out for debris, potholes and cracks.
When you’re on the road, you should be constantly scanning ahead looking for potential dangers. If you spot a hazard, slow down. At night or in poor riding conditions, be extremely cautious – spotting a hazard early and reacting calmly can help you avoid a potentially dangerous situation.
You can learn more about road hazards in this 60 Second Video, and by reading about the hazards below.
Slippery surfaces
Slippery surfaces reduce friction between vehicles’ tires and road surface. Be careful of wet surfaces, oil slicks, snow and ice. If you cannot avoid riding on slippery surfaces:
- Reduce your speed and avoid sudden moves.
- Avoid puddles where possible, which can hide potholes or other hazards.
- Use brakes smoothly and gradually.
- Cyclists must keep in mind that bicycle brakes are less effective when wet – you can dry your brakes by feathering (applying them lightly) before you need to stop or slow down
- Motorcycles and mopeds can shift to a lower gear for better traction and release the clutch gradually.
- Watch for frost and black ice, which reduce traction drastically.
Loose material
Loose material on road surfaces, such as sand, gravel, mud or leaves, may make paved roads slippery. When approaching loose material on a roadway:
- Reduce your speed and grip your handlebars firmly.
- Raise your body slightly off the seat for better balance and move slightly to the rear for better traction.
- Keep your arms and wrists loose to permit the front wheel to move a little.
- Keep your feet on the pedals or foot pegs, maintaining an even and constant throttle position.
Rough or uneven surfaces
Try to avoid crossing rough surfaces such as bumps, broken pavement or potholes. If you cannot avoid them:
- Keep as upright as possible and reduce speed.
- Stand up slightly on the foot pegs or pedals with your knees flexed to absorb the impact. Keep your arms relaxed and your head up
- Riding over grated surfaces, as found on some bridges, may cause vibration and wandering back and forth. Don’t try to counter this movement, but keep your speed constant and ride straight across.
- Avoid longitudinal cracks or joints that run parallel to the road, which can trap smaller tires.
- When crossing railway tracks:
- Mopeds and motorcycles should cross railway tracks at an angle of 45 degrees or more to eliminate the need for swerving.
- Cyclists must adjust position and alignment to cross the tracks at a 90 degree right angle. Be sure to shoulder check (see diagram below)
