New Mexico is a wonderful place to be a bicyclist.  We have great weather to ride year-around, and we have beautiful places to ride as well.  From Albuquerque’s Bosque to mountain biking trails in the Santa Fe National Forest to the high desert landscapes of the Ojito Wilderness, New Mexico has a little something for every style of bicyclist.  Whether you are a casual rider or you ride every day, bicycling is part of our New Mexican way of life.

Unfortunately, New Mexico is also the nation’s second-deadliest state for bicyclists, “for reasons ranging from the state’s high rates of substance abuse to a lack of designated bike lanes.”

Does this mean you shouldn’t ride your bike in New Mexico?  Absolutely not!  Riding your bike is great for your health, and it’s great for our planet too!  But there are definitely things you can do help ensure your safety while riding, and to help ease the financial burden in the event that you are injured by a careless driver.

First and foremost, check your auto insurance coverage before you get on your bike. You need to carry uninsured motorist coverage if you ride! It may seem counterintuitive that your own automobile insurance might help ease the financial burden after a bicycle crash.  But unfortunately, many careless, negligent, or reckless New Mexican drivers don’t have car insurance, or don’t have enough car insurance to compensate you for all your damages after they cause a crash.  Also, it’s just an unfortunate reality that there are a lot of hit and run crashes in Albuquerque and throughout New Mexico—in fact New Mexico leads the nation in hit and run crashes leading to serious injury or death.  So it is extremely important that you have uninsured motorist coverage on your own automobile policy.  This is because uninsured motorist coverage follows you wherever you go, whether you are in a car, on a bike, or walking down the road.  It is there for when you are hurt by an uninsured or underinsured motorist.  So if you are struck on your bike by a driver who doesn’t have insurance, or by someone who flees the scene, your own uninsured motorist coverage will step in to pay all of the damages that you are legally entitled to recover.  The insurance coverage experts at Roadrunner Law Firm are here to help you assess those damages, and we can also analyze your insurance policy to help you understand the full range of coverage available to you after a bicycle crash injury.

Roadrunner Law Firm is also proud to partner with the Duke City Wheelmen to bring you some safety tips to consider before hitting the road.  Being prepared before you ride, and being an alert and active rider, will go a long way toward counteracting the carelessness and negligence of drivers—many of whom are texting, or even drinking while driving!

We have a beautiful state for bicycling.  Enjoy the trails, but keep in mind our tips to be prepared and insured while riding.  Bicycle Safety Video