Safety Guide: Staying Visible

It is important to stay visible when riding your bike to help keep you and others safe on the road. Check out our video below for some great ways to make sure you are visible to those around you.

Biking is the last place where you want to blend in. Bright colors and/or clothing with reflective strips make it easier for cars, pedestrians, and other bikers to see you.

Make sure your bike has front and rear lights. As Gage mentioned in the video, there are some awesome helmets out there with built-in lights as well.

Lights are essential for riding at dawn, dusk, in storms, at night, and through tunnels, but many riders use them during the day for added visibility. You might need lights when hitting up a mountain bike trail, but road and commuter bikes should definitely have some.

But of course, your lights need to work in order to help you stay visible. Test them before every ride as part of your pre-ride bike check.

One of the biggest rules in biking is to never assume that other vehicles or people can see you. This is especially important when making lane changes, quick turns, or riding past parked cars, to name a few examples.

Hand signals increase your presence on the road or trail and tell others where you’re headed. It’s not only informative, making a motion catches drivers’ eyes and makes them aware of you. Above all else, bike with caution, make yourself known, and practice being aware of your surroundings.

At the age of 12, Gage Duke turned tragedy into triumph. This Texas native used lessons he learned to start Just Cuz Helmets Matter, a non-profit that offers bike safety education and gives bicycle helmets to those in need. Learn more about Gage’s cause in the video and see how you can help make a difference. Let’s help Gage save lives!

Learn more about Gage and his nonprofit by visiting his website: Just Cuz Helmets Matter.