Wear a Helmet
Wearing a helmet is the best thing you can do to be safe when you ride a bike.

Bicycle helmets save lives. Most bike deaths come from head injury. Bike helmets can prevent head injury.

In some states, the law says you have to wear a bike helmet to ride your bike.

Bike helmets should fit like this:

sits evenly between ears

sits low on your forehead

See and Be Seen
Ride so cars can see you.

Wear bright colors or clothes that reflect light at night so cars, buses, and trucks can see you.

If you ride at night, get a headlight for the front of your bike and "reflectors" on the front and back of your bike.

Follow the Rules
Bikes have to follow the same traffic rules and signs as cars.

You must ride in the same direction as the cars are going.

Ride your bike single-file.

Signal when you want to stop or turn.

Look out for holes, wet leaves, or cracks in the street. They can make you crash your bike.

Ride away from the curb in case a car pulls out or someone opens a car door suddenly.

For additional information, please contact the NHTSA hotline at: 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236), or the NHTSA Web site.

Reprinted from the National Highway Traffic Safety Commission