TIPS FOR
YOUTH BIKE SAFETY
Biking is fun, healthy, and a great way to get around and
be independent. But your bike is a vehicle, not a toy!
So DRIVE your bicycle and follow these tips.
Safe Riding Tips
Before riding, make sure you and your bike are ready to ride.
You can be a “Roll Model” for your peers and younger kids.
Remember to:
■■ Wear a Bike Helmet. Protect your brain, save your life. For more
information see the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fitting
Your Bike Helmet.
■■ Adjust Your Bike to Fit. Stand over your bike. There should be 1
to 2 inches between the rider and the top tube (bar) if using a road
bike and 3 to 4 inches if using a mountain bicycle. The seat should be
level front to back, and the height should be adjusted to allow a
slight bend at the knee when the leg is fully extended. The
handlebar height should be at the same level with the seat.
■■ Check Your Equipment. Before riding, inflate tires
properly and check that the brakes work.
■■ See and Be Seen. Whether daytime, dawn, dusk,
foul weather, or at night. Wear neon, fluorescent or
other bright colors when riding, to make yourselves
the most visible to others. 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 Bike. Ride with two hands on the handlebars unless
signaling a turn. Place books and other items in a bike carrier or backpack.
■■ Watch for and Avoid Road Hazards. Look for hazards that may make you crash, such as potholes, broken
glass, gravel, puddles, leaves, and dogs. If riding in a group, the rider in front should yell and point to hazards to
alert other riders.
■■ Avoid Riding at Night. It’s harder for other road users to see bicyclists at dusk, dawn or nighttime. Use
reflectors on the front and rear of the bike. White lights and red rear reflectors or lights are required by law
in all States.
Many bike-related crashes resulting in injury or death are associated with your behavior as a bicyclist, and some of
them are in your control. First, while it doesn’t prevent a crash, a bike helmet worn correctly can prevent injury to
your brain if you crash; a helmet could save your life. By paying attention, and knowing and following some basic
rules of the road, you can avoid some crashes completely.
Rules for Biking on the Road
In all States, bikes on the roadway are considered vehicles, and bicyclists are the drivers of those vehicles, with
the same rights and responsibilities as other motorists to follow the rules of the road, including:
■■ Go With the Traffic Flow. Ride on the right side in the same direction as other vehicles. Go with the flow
– not against it.
■■ Obey All Traffic Laws. As the driver of your vehicle on the road, obey all traffic signs, signals, and
lane markings.
■■ Yield to Traffic. Almost always, drivers on a smaller road must yield (wait) for traffic on a major or larger road.
If there is no stop sign or traffic signal and you are coming from a smaller roadway (out of a driveway, from a
sidewalk, a bike path, etc.), slow down, look for traffic, and go only when it’s clear. Also yield to pedestrians in
a crosswalk.
■■ 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. Look for potholes, cracks, wet leaves, storm grates,
railroad tracks, or anything that could make you lose control of your bike. Listen for traffic and avoid dangerous
situations; don’t use personal electronic devices when you ride.
■■ Look Before Turning. When turning left or right, always look behind you for a break in traffic, and then signal
before making the turn. Watch for left- or right-turning traffic.
■■ Watch for Parked Cars. Ride far enough out from the curb to avoid the unexpected from parked cars (like
doors opening, or cars pulling out).
Sidewalk versus Street Riding
The safest place for riding a bike is on the street, where bikes are expected to follow the same rules of the road and
ride in the same direction as motorists. Sidewalks are designed for slower moving traffic like pedestrians.
■■ If you don’t know the rules of the road, or your parents feel like you aren’t ready to ride on
the street, avoid riding your bike near traffic altogether.
■■ For anyone riding on a sidewalk:
• Check the law in your State or jurisdiction to make sure sidewalk riding is allowed.
• Watch for vehicles coming out of or turning into driveways.
• Stop at corners of sidewalks and streets to look for cars and to make sure the drivers see you before crossing.
• Enter a street at a corner and not between parked cars. Alert pedestrians that you are nearby, saying, “Passing
on your left,” or use a bell or horn
For more information
on bicycle safety, visit
the NHTSA Web site at:
[Link].
DOT HS 811 556
May 2012
8024a-050212-v3