Bicycle Safety
Bicycle Rules of the Road
Bicycles are subject to the same laws as motor vehicles. When passing a bicyclist, motor vehicles must proceed at a reasonable speed and travel at least three feet to the left of the overtaken bicycle. Riders should practice safe and legal bike operation:
- Ride with traffic.
- Stop and look both ways before entering the street.
- Stop at all intersections.
- Before turning, use hand signals and look all ways.
- Ride defensively - anticipate the actions of other road users and watch for road hazards.
- Pass vehicles with extreme care - turning vehicles may not see you.
- Be aware of motor vehicle blind spots while riding or when stopped at an intersection.
- Walk your bicycle when you get into traffic situations beyond your cycling abilities.
- Exercise great caution when riding in bus traffic - watch out for buses pulling to and from curbs and passengers getting on and off buses.
- Park your bicycle so you do not block sidewalks, disabled accesses, building accesses or emergency lanes.
Support Bicycle Safety
Dress for Safety
Stay safe by making sure that you are visible to motorists:
- Wear a helmet, wear bright colored clothing, and secure loose pant legs.
- Maximize your visibility at night - wear relective clothing and apply reflective tape to your bicycle.
Parent Information
Learning to ride a bicycle is an exciting accomplishment for a child. Making sure that riding is a safe and enjoyable experience for your child is important:
- Provide your children with helmets approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Teach them to wear the helmets correctly on every ride.
- Ensure young children are properly supervised and never allow them to ride their bicycle in the street.
- The decision to allow older children to ride in the street should depend on traffic patterns, individual maturity, and an adequate knowledge and ability to follow bicycle rules.
- Your children should never ride at dusk or in the dark.
- Teach your children how to keep their bikes in good repair, and to check the tires, brakes, and seat and handlebar height annually.