Wear bright, reflective clothing
Always wear neon, florescent, or other bright colors on your clothes and accessories when riding a bike, especially at dusk and when the weather is bad. Biking at night is far more dangerous than biking during the day, so avoid it if possible. Young children should never ride at night.

If you must ride at night however, do the following:

• Ride with reflectors that are permanently attached to your bike so they are good for daytime use, too. If a carrier is added, make sure the rear reflectors can still be seen.
• Add bright lights to the front and rear of your bicycle.
• Wear retroreflective materials on your ankles, wrists, back and helmet.
• Only ride in familiar areas with brightly lit streets.
• Always assume drivers cannot see you.

2. Maintaining your bike

Make sure your bike is adjusted properly

• Bicycles should be the right size. If necessary, make adjustments to make them fit you.
• Handlebars should be firmly in place and turn easily. Make sure you can see over them.
• Tires should be straight, secure and properly inflated.
• Gears should shift smoothly.
• Carriers should be added to the back of the bike if you need to transport items. Never try to carry things while riding.

Check your brakes
Always keep your brakes properly adjusted. You should be able to stop quickly. If your bike has hand brakes, apply the rear brakes slightly before the front brake when stopping. When your hand brakes are fully applied, they should not touch the handlebars. Each brake shoe pad should wear evenly and never be separated more than 1/8” from the rim. Ride slowly in wet weather and apply the brakes sooner since it takes more time to stop.

3. Know the Rules of the Road

Stay on the “right” side of the road
Ride on the right side of the road in a straight predictable path, single file, in the same direction as vehicles. Never ride against traffic. Young children are not usually able to identify and adjust to many dangerous traffic situations, and therefore, should not be allowed to ride in the street unsupervised. Children who are permitted to ride the street without supervision should have the necessary skills to safely follow the “rules of the road.”

Obey all traffic laws
Because bicycles are considered vehicles, bicyclists must obey the same traffic rules as motorists.

• Obey stop signs and stop lights.
• Always be courteous.
• Signal your moves.
• Never wear headphones while riding.

Be aware of traffic around you
More than 70 percent of car/bicycle crashes occur at driveways and intersections. Before you enter any street or intersection, check for traffic. Always look left-right-left, and walk your bicycle into the street to begin your ride. If you’re already in the street, always look behind you for a break in traffic, then signal, to alert both cars and pedestrians, before turning either direction.