Bicycle Safety

Everyone wants his or her ride to be fun, safe and problem free. This means using common sense and being familiar with the rules of the road.

If you are a parent, safe bicycling also means making sure your children understand and observe some simple rules. By the time children are old enough to ride in the street they should be trained to have habits based on these simple rules:

• Stop and look before entering a street.
• Ride with traffic on the right side of the street.
• Ride in a straight line and look before turning or changing direction.
• Ride only during daylight hours.
• Wear a helmet.
• Be Courteous.

New York requires everyone under age fourteen to wear a helmet. NYBC recommends every bicyclist wear one regardless of age. This is not only because it adds considerable protection against head injury, but also because adults should set a good example for all the children who see them riding.

Keep in mind that a rider can always dismount and walk the bicycle in situations where riding is found to be uncomfortable. This could be helpful when, say, making turns at a complex intersection with heavy traffic. The rider then simply uses the crosswalks as a pedestrian.

When riding at night the law requires head and taillights for safety. Reflectorized clothing is important too. The idea is to be as visible as possible to motorists from as far as possible.

The laws and rules governing bicycling are comprehensive. While most people don’t study them in lawyerlike fashion, some basic knowledge brings a great deal of safety. First and foremost, when in a roadway bicycles are, with rare exceptions, subject to the same rules as automobiles. Read more on the Laws and Rules page on this website.

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