Bicycle Safety for Parents and Children
• Make sure all equipment on the bicycle works.
• All bicycle riders and passengers under age 16 are
required by Florida Law to wear a helmet. Always wear
a properly fitted helmet and securely fasten the strap.
• Wear appropriate shoes. Avoid wearing flip-flops or
riding barefoot.
• Be seen. Wear neon or fluorescent or bright colors when
riding and wear something that reflects light.
• Do not wear headphones so that you can hear the
traffic and pedestrians around you. Never text and ride.
• Ride in the same direction as traffic and stay as far to
the right as possible. Use bike lanes whenever you can.
• Obey all traffic laws, including signs, signals and lane
markings, when riding on the roadway.
• Cross at intersections and never pull out into the
roadway from between parked cars.
• If riding on the sidewalk or in a crosswalk, yield to
pedestrians and give them an audible signal (such as,
“passing on your left”) before passing them.
Bicycle Safety for Motorists
• Drivers MUST give bicyclists a minimum of three feet of
clearance when driving alongside or passing them.
• When turning, yield to any bicyclist in the bike lane and
make your turn behind the cyclist.
Pedestrian Safety for Parents and Children
• Always walk on the sidewalk if there is one. If no
sidewalks are present, walk against the direction of
traffic so that you can see oncoming vehicles.
• Always cross the roadway where pedestrians are
expected, at corners or in crosswalks. Always watch for
traffic when crossing the street.
• Never enter the street from between parked cars. If
crossing mid-block cannot be avoided, pedestrians must
yield the right of way to vehicles on the roadway.
• Wear bright, reflective colors on clothes, shoes, hats and
wristbands. Carry a flashlight when walking at night.
• Pay attention. Avoid wearing headphones so that you
can hear the traffic and pedestrians around you. Never
text or look at your cell phone when crossing the street.
• Obey pedestrian signs and signals. Yield the right of way
to vehicles if the crosswalk signal is red or “Don’t Walk.”
Refer to the official Florida Driver License Handbook
(www.flsmv.gov /handbook) for more information on
bicyclist and pedestrian safety.
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