The Media Police Department reminds us to be safe while riding bikes in the borough. Please keep these recommendations in mind as you and your family travel throughout the borough and surrounding neighborhoods:

• Always wear a helmet.  Pennsylvania law requires all cyclists under age 12 to wear an approved bicycle helmet.
• Obey traffic laws.
• Obey stop signs and red lights.
• Never ride against the flow of traffic.
• Be predictable:
  • Ride in a straight line with at least one hand on the handlebars.
  • Check to be sure your path is clear, and change directions without swerving.
  • Use hand signals to indicate when you are turning.
• Make yourself visible:
  • Consider wearing bright cycling clothes.
  • Put reflectors on your wheels and on the front and rear of your bike.
  • At night, a front light and rear reflector are required.
• Maintain your bike:
  • Carry a pump, a patch kit and a spare tube.
• Take care of yourself:
  • Carry plenty of drinking water and snacks for energy.
  • Bring your cellphone in case of an emergency.

Pennsylvania’s Motor Vehicle Code considers “pedalcycles” as vehicles and provides that every person riding a pedalcycle upon a roadway shall be granted all of the rights and responsibilities applicable to a driver of a vehicle.  If you ride in violation of the traffic laws, you greatly increase your risk of a crash and will likely be found at fault in the event of an accident.

For more information on bicycle safety, please visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) website.