Police warn cyclists, be seen and be safe

by Lisa Reeves

Monday 15^th October 2012

Mon 15^th Oct 2012

Cheshire Police are advising cyclists to be seen and be safe as the dark nights draw in.

Statistics have shown that nearly one third of cyclist fatalities occur during the hours of darkness between 6pm and midnight.

Officers are therefore reminding cyclists about the importance of being visible while out on the roads.

PC Daniel Reynolds said: "There has been a huge increase in the popularity of cycling following on from the Olympics, and with this legacy in mind, we want to ensure that people are enjoying the sport safely.

"We are therefore looking to work with cyclists and educate them about the dangers of riding at night or in poor visibility without lights."

Legally, cyclists must have white front and red rear lights lit when using their bike at night or in poor visibility, in addition to a red rear reflector and amber pedal reflectors.

It is also recommended that cyclists wear light-coloured or fluorescent clothing which helps other road users to see them.

For more information on bike safety, visit the Cheshire Police website.

Comments

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Bernard Davies

Wednesday 17^th October 2012 at 11:28 am

A timely piece of advice. As a regular motorist, I despair at the number of cases I have experienced, of cyclists without lights, front or rear, in dark clothes, who are almost impossible to be seen, at night,particularly when it is raining. Some rely on "flashing rear lights".like something off a Christmas tree, albeit conforming with the law, are virtually useless against oncoming head lights.. If cyclists experienced the degree of visibility out of a car windscreen at night, they would give the importance of "being seen" more priority