Bike safety tips

Have a minute? Check out these bicycle safety guidelines suggested by road safety experts and authorities across New Zealand. These provide helpful tips on riding safely.

• Wearing your helmet so that it fits firmly on your head and cannot be tilted in any direction.
• Checking brakes and tyre pressure before riding.
• Adjusting seat and handlebars to proper height.
• Wearing a reflective vest.
• Ringing your bell or verbally notify fellow cyclists and pedestrians before you ride past.
• If riding on shared footpaths is legal in your area, giving way to pedestrians who are also walking on footpaths.
• Checking for road hazards such as potholes and gutters.
• Riding at speeds appropriate to the conditions.
• Turning corners slowly in wet weather.
• Making eye-contact and hand signals with drivers to allow them to give way.
• Regularly looking over your shoulder to check what is beside and behind you.
• Avoiding blind spots.
• Avoiding riding when tired.
• Looking out for drivers and passengers getting in and out of parked cars, and being aware of car doors opening onto the road.
• Avoiding riding alongside larger vehicles such as buses and trucks – you may be in their blind spot, and larger vehicles also need more space while turning.
• Using light reflectors and front and rear lights when riding in the evenings or in low-light areas.

You can check out the links below for more information on bicycle safety from the experts in your area.