More residents are out biking which is great; however, some bikers aren’t following basic bicycle laws and safety guidelines.  Some of the bikers are younger with less experience so it’s important for parents to make sure these younger bikers know and follow the laws and safety guidelines copied below.  The law that is being ignored by many is the highlighted portion.  It is dangerous for bikers of any experience level to be biking at night without required lighting–the reflectors don’t meet this requirement.  Some drivers may not be be able to even see the smaller bikers on the road.  There are lots of websites that discuss bicycle safety–this list is from www.bikewalktampabay.org. 

TRAFFIC LAW HIGHLIGHTS (see Section 316.2065 of the Florida Statutes)
A bicyclist must ride on the right side of the road
A bicyclist must obey all traffic controls and signals.
A bicyclist must use a fixed, regular seat for riding.
No bicycle may be used to carry more persons at one time than the number for which it is designed or equipped.
A bicycle operated between sunset and sunrise must be equipped with a lamp on the front exhibiting a white light visible from 500 feet to the front and both a red reflector and a lamp on the rear exhibiting a red light visible from 600 feet to the rear. Additional lighting is permitted and recommended.
A bicyclist may not wear a headset, headphone, or other listening device other than a hearing aid when riding. Wearing a headset blocks out important audio clues needed to detect the presence of other traffic.
Every bicycle must be equipped with a brake or brakes which allow the rider to stop within 25 feet from a speed of 10 miles per hour on dry, level, clean pavement.
Parents and guardians must not knowingly allow a child or minor ward to violate any bicycle laws.