Invention:
This technology is a bicycle handlebar-mounted device. The device has a sensor that can detect when a car is too close to warn bicyclists of encroaching vehicles and provides a visual alert to the car’s driver to promote a safe passing distance from the bicyclist. The device can also take and store a picture of the vehicle and license plate for reporting to authorities if needed.
Background:
States generally have laws that mandate that an automobile must give a bicycle a minimum amount of space while passing on a road. The reality is that this rule is seldom followed. For an example, in 2013 there were nearly 50,000 bicyclists who suffered injuries as a result of automobile drivers. The introduction of bike lanes has been shown to reduce the frequency of injury and death by up to 90%, however not all roads contain bike lanes. Bicyclists continue to endure the risk of injury and death due to negligence of drivers who do not maintain a safe passing distance, regardless of whether they ride in a bike lane or not. This technology will create greater accountability of drivers and further decrease the rate of automobile-related bicyclist injury and death.
Applications:
- Detects vehicles too close to bicyclists
- Warns vehicles of bicyclists
- Documents vehicle information via pictures of license plates
Advantages:
- Can be used to notify local law enforcement of vehicles intruding on bicyclist’s space
- Promotes bicyclist safety
- Portable and rechargeable device that can be installed on a bicycle handlebar
Status: issued U.S. patent #11,820,452
