According to CCTV News， a recent incident in Suzhou， Jiangsu， saw a female cyclist involved in a collision while crossing the road. The woman was using her phone， holding it with her head and shoulder， and was not wearing a helmet as required. She proceeded to cross the street despite the traffic signal and failed to notice a semi-trailer truck making a right turn.
Fortunately， the truck was not traveling at high speed at the time of the incident. The cyclist was knocked down but narrowly avoided being pulled under the vehicle， thus narrowly escaping more severe injuries.
Upon arrival at the scene， traffic police investigated and determined the cause of the accident. The incident resulted in damage to both vehicles， and the cyclist was assigned the primary responsibility for the collision. This outcome underscores a critical point: while trucks， especially large ones like semi-trailers， have significant blind spots and require extra caution from other road users， the direct cause of this accident stemmed from the cyclist’s own unsafe practices.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of adhering to traffic laws and prioritizing safety while cycling. To help promote safer cycling habits， here are some essential guidelines:
1. Avoid using your mobile phone while cycling. If you must take a call， it is highly recommended to use a Bluetooth headset， ensuring only one ear is covered to maintain situational awareness. Distracted cycling is a major contributor to accidents.
2. Plan your routes in advance. Utilize a secure phone mount for navigation instead of holding your phone， which leads to single-handed riding and significantly impairs control and balance.
3. **Adopt the “Three Looks， Two Waits， One Acceleration” principle:**
- Three Looks: First， check the traffic signal (do not rush if the green light has less than 3 seconds remaining). Second， look for turning motor vehicles， especially large ones like semi-trailers or cement mixers， as they have extensive blind spots. Third， check for oncoming traffic from the left.
- Two Waits: Wait for large vehicles to come to a complete stop before proceeding. Also， wait for a clear acknowledgment from the driver， such as a hand signal， indicating they have seen you.
- One Acceleration: Once it is confirmed that it is safe to proceed， cross quickly to minimize the time spent in potentially hazardous areas.
