Bike & Pedestrian Safety

Did You Know…

Each year, more than 3,000 pedestrians and 850 bicyclists are hit by vehicles in NC.
On average, about 160 pedestrians and 20 bicyclists are killed each year in NC.
Properly-fitted helmets can reduce the risk of head injuries by at least 45%.
Less than half of children under age 14, wear a bike helmet.
Unintentional, pedestrian injuries are the fifth leading cause of injury-related deaths in the US for children ages 5 to 19.
76% of pedestrian crashes happen during the week.
Most kids are unable to judge the speed and distance of oncoming cars until age 10.
55% of all bike and pedestrian crashes happen between May through September.

Wear a properly-fitted helmet every time you ride.
Ride in the same direction as traffic as far on the right-hand side as possible.
Use hand signals and follow the rules of the road.
Be predictable by making sure you ride in a straight line and don’t swerve between cars.
Wear bright colors and use lights and reflectors on your clothes and bike.
Make sure the bike’s brakes, gears and tires are working properly.
Ride with your children. Stick together until you are comfortable that your kids are ready to ride on their own.
Teach kids to look left, right and left again before crossing the street.
Teach kids to put phones, headphones and devices down when crossing the street.
Walk on sidewalks or paths and cross at street corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks.
Children under 10 need to cross the street with an adult.