As temperatures rise, many of us are choosing to take out our bicycles as a healthy means of transportation. This week’s safety message provides tips you can use to ensure you are cycling safely.
Before using your bicycle, make sure it is ready to ride. You should always inspect your bike to make sure all parts are secure and working properly.
Remember to:
- Wear a properly fitted bicycle helmet. Protect your brain, save your life.
- Adjust your bicycle to fit. Stand over your bicycle.
- Check your equipment. Inflate tires properly and check that your brakes work.
- See and be seen. Whether daytime, dawn, dusk, foul weather, or at night, you need to be seen by others. Wear neon, fluorescent, or other bright colors when riding day or night. Also wear something that reflects light, such as reflective tape or markings, or flashing lights. Remember, just because you can see a driver doesn’t mean the driver can see you.
- Control your bicycle. Always ride with at least one hand on the handlebars.
- Watch for and avoid road hazards. Be on the lookout for hazards such as potholes, broken glass, gravel, puddles, leaves, and dogs.
Rules of the Road: Bicycling on the Road
- Obey all traffic laws. When you ride in the street, obey all traffic signs, signals, and lane markings.
- Be predictable. Ride in a straight line, not in and out of cars. Signal your moves to others.
- Stay alert at all times. Use your eyes AND ears. You need your ears to hear traffic and avoid dangerous situations; don’t wear a headset when you ride.
- Look before turning. When turning left or right, always look behind you for a break in traffic, then signal before making the turn. Watch for left-or-right-turning traffic.
- Stop at corners of sidewalks and streets to look for cars and to make sure the drivers see you before crossing.
Source: NHTSA
