As the weather heats up and people are out more, it is important to take steps that will help to prevent potentially dangerous traffic situations. To help our community remain safe, the Albany Police Department would like to share some safe driving tips. This is part of an ongoing series that encourages safety when traveling by different modes of transportation.

Safe Cycling

-Wear a properly fitted bicycle helmet and check your equipment. Before riding, inflate tires properly and check that your brakes work.
-When you ride in the street, obey all traffic signs, signals, and lane markings.
-When turning left or right, always look behind you for a break in traffic, then signal before making the turn. Watch for left- or right-turning traffic.
-Ride far enough out from the curb to avoid the unexpected from parked cars (like doors opening, or cars pulling out).

Safe Cycling at Night

-Make yourself visible to drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians by wearing bright/light colored clothing and reflective materials.
-Make sure your bicycle is well-lit. In California, the law states that any cyclist riding at night must have the following:
-A white headlight visible from the front that is attached to the bicycle or the bicyclist.
-A red reflector visible from the back. You may attach a solid or flashing red rear light in addition to the reflector.
-A white or yellow reflector on each pedal or on the bicyclist’s shoes or ankles visible from the front & back.

-Visible from the side, a white or yellow reflector on the front half of the bicycle and a red or white reflector on each side of the back half of the bike. These reflectors are not required if the bike has reflectorized front and back tires.

If you have additional questions, please feel welcome to contact the Albany Police Department at 1(510) 525-7300 and request to speak with an officer or email [email protected].

ALBANY POLICE DEPARTMENT • 1000 San Pablo Ave. Albany, CA 94706 • 1(510) 525-7300 / Emergencies: 911