Bicycle Safety

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Register your bike!

Injuries to Bicyclists
  • Each year in the United States:
  • More that 900 bicyclists are killed
  • 20,000 are admitted to hospitals
  • 580,000 receive emergency room treatment

For the population as a whole:

  • 1.8 billion bicycle trips
  • 300 injuries per million trips
  • 1 death in every 2 million trips (0.5 per million)

Shocking Facts About Bicycle Accidents

  • Bicyclists hospitalized with head injuries are 20 times as likely to die as those without
  • 56% of fatally injured bicyclists are 20 or older
  • Motor vehicles are involved in 90-92% of bicyclist deaths and 12% of injuries
  • 1/3 of bicyclist fatalities occur on roads with speed limits of 55 mph or higher
  • 2/3 of fatally injured bicyclists are tested for alcohol; 32% of those tested have been drinking
  • Bicyclist death rates per trip or per person mile of travel greatly exceed the rates for car occupants

Bike Helmets Made Simple
What is a bike helmet?

  • A helmet protects your brain when you fall
  • It has a plastic shell on the outside and foam inside
  • It has straps to keep it on your head when you fall


How does a helmet work?

  • The foam crushes when you hit the road
  • That cushions the blow, and usually saves your brain
  • The shell keeps the foam in one piece
  • If the strap is not right, your helmet can slip to the side or to the back


How do I pick one?

  • Make sure the helmet has a CPSC sticker. (means that it works)
  • Find one that fits you properly
  • Work on the straps to get the fit just right
  • Consumer Reports can tell you which helmets are best, but they don’t test them every year


Is a bike helmet good after a crash?

  • No, a bike helmet is good for only one crash!


Hand Signals
All required signals given by hand and arm should be given from the left side of a bicycle in the following manner:
leftTurnHandLeft Turn Hand Signal Left Turn - Hand and arm extended horizontally beyond the side of the bike

rightTurnHandRight Turn Hand Signal Right Turn - Hand and arm extended upward beyond the side of the bike


stopHandStop Hand Signal Stop or sudden decrease of speed - Hand and arm extended downward beyond the side of the bike

Contact the Logan City Police Department for more information.