Bicycle Safety
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Protect Your
Head. Wear a Helmet.
Never ride a
bicycle without a helmet. The National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Consumer Product
Safety Commission (CPSC) recommend that bicyclists wear
a helmet that complies with the CPSC standard.
Bicycle helmets can reduce head injuries by 85 percent.
Select a helmet that fits snugly and sits flat on the head.
For children, use the extra padding that comes with the
helmet to ensure a proper fit. This padding can be
removed as the child's head grows.
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Assure Bicycle Readiness. Make Sure Your Bicycle Is
Adjusted Properly.
Make
sure you can stand over the top tube of your bicycle.
Adjust your bicycle to fit you (see owner's manual).
Before using your bicycle, check to make sure all parts
are secure and working well. The handlebars should be
firmly in place and turn easily. Your wheels must be
straight and secure.
Add a carrier to the back of your bicycle if you need to
carry things.
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Stop It.
Always Check Brakes Before Riding.
Always
control your speed by using your brakes. If your bicycle
has hand brakes, apply the rear brake slightly before
the front brake. Always keep your brakes adjusted. If
you cannot stop quickly, adjust your brakes.
Consult your bicycle owner's manual or have a bicycle
shop adjust the brakes. When your hand brake levers are
fully applied, they should not touch the handlebars.
Each brake-shoe pad should wear evenly and never be
separated more than one eighth inch from the rim.
Ride slowly in wet weather and apply your brakes earlier
– it takes more distance to stop.
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See and
Be Seen.
Wear
clothes that make you more visible. Always wear neon,
florescent, or other bright colors when
riding a bicycle.
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Avoid Biking at
Night.
It is far more dangerous to bicycle at night than during
the day. Most bicycles are equipped for daylight use and
need to be adapted for nighttime use.
If you must ride at night, you should do the following:
• Ride with reflectors that meet
CPSC requirements. These should be permanently installed
on bicycles for daytime use also. If a carrier is added,
make sure the rear reflector remains visible.
• Add the brightest
lights you can find to the front and rear of your
bicycle.
• Wear
retro-reflective clothing or material – not just white
or florescent – especially on your ankles, wrists, back,
and helmet.
• Only ride
in areas familiar to you. Brightly lit streets are best.
Always assume you are not seen by a driver.
Young children should NOT ride at night.
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Stay
Alert. Always Keep a Lookout for Obstacles in Your Path.
Stay
alert at all times. Watch out for potholes, cracks,
expansion joints, railroad tracks, wet leaves, drainage
grates, or anything that could make you fall.
Before going around any object, scan ahead, and behind you
for a gap in traffic. Plan your move, signal your
intentions, and then do what you planned. If you are unsure,
or lack the skill to handle an especially rough area, pull
off to the right side of the road and walk your bicycle
around the rough area.
Be especially careful in wet weather and when there could be
ice or frost
on your path.
• Cross all railroad
tracks at a 90-degree angle and proceed slowly.
• Use special care on bridges.
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Go With the
Flow. The Safe Way Is The RIGHT Way.
Ride on the
right side in a straight, predictable path. Always go
single file in the same direction as other vehicles.
Riding against traffic puts you where motorists don't
expect you. They may not see you, and may pull across
your path, or turn into you.
Young children, typically under the age of nine, are not
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 in the street without supervision should have
the necessary skills to safely follow the “rules of the
road.”
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Check for Traffic. Always Be Aware of the Traffic Around
You.
Over
70 percent of car-bicycle crashes occur at driveways or
other 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 are already in the street, always look behind you
for a break-in traffic, then signal before going left or
right. Watch for left or right turning traffic.
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Learn Rules of The Road. Obey Traffic Laws.
Bicycles are considered vehicles. Bicyclists must obey
the same rules as motorists. Read your State drivers
handbook, and learn and follow all the traffic signs,
laws, and rules for operating a vehicle on the road. Always signal your moves. Be courteous to pedestrians
and other vehicle operators.
Never wear headphones
while riding as they impair your ability to hear
traffic. Become familiar with the accommodations that
are available for bicyclists in your area. These include
bicycle lanes and routes as well as off-road paths. Take advantage of these whenever
possible.
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Don't Flip Over Your Bicycle. Wheels Should Be Securely
Fastened.
If
your bicycle has quick release wheels, it is your
responsibility to make sure they are firmly closed at
all times and to use the safety retainer if there is
one.
Check your wheels before every ride, after any fall, or
after transporting your bicycle. Read your Owner's
Manual for instructions and follow them. If you are even
slightly confused about what “firmly closed” means, talk
to your bicycle dealer before you ride your bicycle.
Kids and
Bicycle Safety
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Bicycle riding is fun, healthy, and a
great way to be independent.
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But it is important to remember that a bicycle is not a toy;
it’s a vehicle! |
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Be cool –
follow some basic safety tips when you
ride. |
Safe Riding Tips
Before
using your bicycle, make sure it is ready to ride. You
should always
inspect your bike to make sure all parts are secure and
working properly.
Remember to:
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Wear a Properly Fitted Bicycle
Helmet. Protect your brain, save your
life. For more information see the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration publication
“Easy Steps to Properly Fit a Bicycle Helmet.”
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Adjust
Your Bicycle to Fit. Stand over your bicycle.
There should be 1 to 2 inches between you and the top
tube (bar) if using a road bike and 3 to 4 inches if a
mountain bicycle. The seat should be level front to
back. The seat 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.
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Check
Your Equipment. Before riding, inflate tires
properly and check that your brakes work.
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See and
Be Seen. Whether daytime, dawn, dusk, foul
weather, or at night, you need to be seen by others.
Wearing white has not been shown to make you more
visible. Rather, always wear neon, fluorescent, or other
bright colors when riding day or night. 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.
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Control
Your Bicycle. Always ride with at least one hand
on the handlebars. Carry books and other items in a
bicycle carrier or backpack.
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Watch
for and Avoid Road Hazards. Be on the lookout for
hazards such as potholes, broken glass, gravel, puddles,
leaves, and dogs. All these hazards can cause a crash.
If you are riding with friends and you are in the lead,
yell out and point to the hazard to alert the riders
behind you.
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Avoid
Riding at Night. It is far more dangerous to ride
at night than during the day because you are harder for
others to see. If you have to ride at night, wear
something that makes you more easily seen by others.
Make sure you have reflectors on the front and rear of
your bicycle (white lights on the front and red rear
reflectors are required by law in many States), in
addition to reflectors on your tires, so others can see
you. |
Many bicycle-related crashes resulting in injury or death
are associated with the bicyclist’s behavior, including such
things as not wearing a bicycle helmet, riding into a street
without stopping, turning left or swerving into traffic that
is coming from behind, running a stop sign, and riding the
wrong way in traffic. To maximize your safety, always wear a
helmet AND follow the rules of the road.
Rules of the Road –
Bicycling on the Road
Bicycles in many States are considered vehicles, and
cyclists have the same rights and the same responsibilities
to follow the rules of the road as motorists. When riding,
always:
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Go With the Traffic Flow.
Ride on the right in the same direction as other
vehicles. Go with the flow – not against it.
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Obey All
Traffic Laws. A bicycle is a vehicle and you’re a
driver. When you ride in the street, obey all traffic
signs, signals, and lane markings.
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Yield to
Traffic When Appropriate. 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.),
you must slow down and look to see if the way is clear
before proceeding. This also means yielding to
pedestrians who have already entered a crosswalk.
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Be
Predictable. Ride in a straight line, not in and
out of cars. Signal your moves to others.
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Stay
Alert at All Times. Use your eyes AND ears. Watch
out for potholes, cracks, wet leaves, storm grates,
railroad tracks, or anything that could make you lose
control of your bike. You need your ears to hear traffic
and avoid dangerous situations; don’t wear a headset
when you ride.
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Look
Before Turning. When turning left or right,
always look behind you for a break in traffic, then
signal before making the turn. Watch for left- or
right-turning traffic.
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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
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The safest place for bicycle riding is on the street,
where bicycles are expected to follow the same rules of the
road as motorists and ride in the same direction.
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Children less than 10 years old,
however, are not mature enough to make the decisions
necessary to safely ride in the street.
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Children less than 10 years old
are better off riding on the sidewalk.
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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 near by saying, “Excuse me,” or, “Passing on
your left,” or use a bell or horn.
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For more information on bicycle safety, visit
the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) Web site at:
www.nhtsa.dot.gov
Bicycle Safety in the Borough of Shippensburg
The Shippensburg Police Department wants to make the
residence of Shippensburg Borough with children under the age of 12 to be
aware of the following Vehicle Code and Shippensburg Borough Ordinance
requirements.
3508.
Pedalcycle on sidewalks and pedalcycle paths
(a) Right-of-way to pedestrians.- A
person riding a pedalcycle upon a sidewalk
or
pedalcycle path used by pedestrians shall yield the right-of-way to any
pedestrian and shall give an audible signal before overtaking and passing a
pedestrian.
(b) Business districts.- A
person shall not ride a pedalcycle upon a sidewalk in a business district
unless permitted by official traffic-control devices, nor when a usable
pedalcycle-only lane has been provided adjacent to the sidewalk.
3510.
Pedalcycle helmets for certain persons
(a) General rule - A person under 12 years of age shall not
operate a pedalcycle or ride as a passenger on a pedalcycle unless the
person in wearing a pedalcycle helmet meeting the standards of the American
National Standards Institute, the Snell Memorial Foundation's Standards for
Protective Headgear for Use in Bicycling or any other met approval. This
subsection shall also apply to a person who rides:
(1) upon a pedalcycle while in a restraining seat attached to a
pedalcycle; or
(2) In a trailer towed by a pedalcycle.
Shippensburg Borough Ordinance! 129-2 - Prohibited locations.
It shall be unlawful for any person to use, ride, propel or otherwise
operate a skateboard or to roller-skate or
roller-blade or operate a bicycle on the
public sidewalks of the following streets or highways within the Borough of
Shippensburg:
Name of Street Location:
King
Street - Between Prince Street and Fayette Street
Earl
Street - Between Burd Street and Orange Street
Penn
Street - Between Burd Street and Orange Street
Shippensburg Borough Police has bicycle helmets available for families
unable to purchase helmets. They are available Monday through Friday 0800
A.M. to 0400 P.M. at
the
Shippensburg Police Department.
