Skip main navigation

Military Health System

Clear Your Cache

Health.mil has undergone a recent update. For the best user experience we recommend clearing your browser cache.

Out for a Bike Ride? Remember These Safety Tips

Image of A safety officer overlooks bike riders on a street. Bike safety includes knowing and following traffic and other laws in your community. In the photo, Joe Umemura, a safety inspector for Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka, spreads awareness about bicycle safety, crosswalk safety, and general street safety. (Photo: U.S. Navy Tech Sgt. Garret Cole)

Since the invention of the first bike in the 1800s, bike riding has become a popular form of transportation, enjoyment, and physical activity.

Yet it can also be a dangerous one.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that nearly 1,000 bicyclists die every year, and more than 130,000 are injured in bike crashes across the United States.

According to the CDC, this implies a heavy cost—exceeding $23 billion annually—in health care, lost work, loss of quality of life, and lost lives.

To make your bike riding experience fun and safe, remember to “learn and know the laws in your community, and follow them,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Taylor Boeckel, occupational safety manager at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, located close to Honolulu, Hawaii.

“Wearing personal protective gear is always important, from a new rider to the most experienced of riders,” she added. “Make sure you know how to obey traffic laws and lights.”

Protective equipment is also mandatory at all military installations, which have programs that specifically address bike safety.

These include regulations common to all services and apply whether on or off a military installation, such as requiring service members and families to always wear Consumer Product Safety Commission-approved bike helmets, reflective upper outer garments, and equipping bicycles with operable head and taillights during hours of reduced visibility, among others.

Boeckel highlighted that protection and complying with traffic laws is especially important for children on bikes.

“Not all of them know or understand the traffic laws, so it’s important for the parents [or caretakers] to teach them,” she said.

She had safety advice for seasoned riders, too:

“Don’t get complacent with laws once you get comfortable with your routine,” she said. “For riders who ride the same path every day, it may be easy to become very comfortable with that route and start cutting corners such as not stopping when necessary.”

Ensuring your bike is always in top shape is also important year-round, she said.

“Tires wear even while in storage,” so it’s important to make sure they are in optimal riding condition.

“Do a bike check prior to each ride, just as you would your vehicle,” she said. “Check your tires and brakes for operation.”

Tips to Remember

Here are the top five tips Boeckel recommends all riders should always keep in mind:

  • Stay vigilant.
  • Don’t allow yourself to become distracted while riding.
  • Stay highly visible both at night and during the day.
  • Obey all traffic laws.
  • Always wear your personal protective equipment, such as a helmet and closed shoes for better control of the pedals.

Like driving a car, riding your bike requires relying on your senses to keep you alert and aware. This means not engaging in distracting activities or wearing earphones or other listening devices while you’re on your bike, according to the U.S. Army’s Safety Program.

It also means not consuming substances that may alter your state, such as drinking. According to CDC, about one-third of crashes that result in a bicyclist’s death involve alcohol for the motor vehicle driver and/or bicyclist.

Additional safety recommendations include:

  • Watch the road for traffic and pedestrians.
  • Always make yourself visible to others. 
  • Listen for other vehicles and people. 
  • Stay in your lane.
  • Always hold on to both handlebars for better balance and control, especially in case you need to break suddenly.

Yet it's not only bike riders that must be on the lookout, explained Boeckel. Vehicle drivers must always be on the lookout for bicycles as well. 

And while some cities may have well defined bike lanes, many others don’t.

“Especially with school back in session, we see a lot more bicycles on the roads” added Boeckel. “Always be a defensive driver, meaning be on the lookout for the other guy.”

Most importantly, Boeckel recommends children and minors never ride without supervision. “Teaching children how to be safe and supervising them” as they’re on their bikes, is key to building early awareness.

For more information on how to be safe on your bike, talk to your installation’s safety management team.

[Read: Joint Base San Antonio’s recommendations for bicycle safety and the U.S. Air Force Safety Center’s bike safety guidelines.]

You also may be interested in...

Photo
May 27, 2022

Walter Reed Service Dogs

Luke is a German Shephard facility dog.

Luke, a German Shepherd facility dog at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, stays with wounded warrior Heath Calhoun at the Military Advanced Treatment Center facility while Calhoun undergoes rehab therapy. Luke is officially a Navy Hospital Corpsman Third Class.

Photo
Feb 11, 2022

Heart Attacks Infographic

Signs and symptoms of a heart attack can differ between women and men. If you have any of these symptoms, call 911 quickly.

Signs and symptoms of a heart attack can differ between women and men. If you have any of these symptoms, call 911 quickly.

Photo
Dec 21, 2016

Drive-Thru Flu Shots

Medical staff at Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Fort Gordon, Georgia, immunized nearly 1,200 people recently with their drive-through flu vaccination event. (U.S. Army photo by John Corley)

Medical staff at Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Fort Gordon, Georgia, immunized nearly 1,200 people recently with their drive-through flu vaccination event. (U.S. Army photo by John Corley)

Photo
Sep 30, 2016

Exiting an A-10C Thunderbolt

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Judith Bulkley, an electrical and environmental systems specialist deployed from the 23rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Ga., exits an A-10C Thunderbolt II after performing an external power operations check on the aircraft at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. Because service members in particular are often exposed to high noise levels, hearing protection is crucial, especially with a TBI. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Stephen Schester)

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Judith Bulkley, an electrical and environmental systems specialist deployed from the 23rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Ga., exits an A-10C Thunderbolt II after performing an external power operations check on the aircraft at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. Because service members in particular are ...

Photo
Sep 29, 2016

Sunrise Yoga Class

Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Tara Paradiso participates in a sunrise yoga class on the flight deck aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. If you’re thinking of adding exercise to your pain management plan, consider the following types: aerobic, strength, and flexibility. But make sure your exercise program is specifically tailored to your needs. Some exercises might be easier or more difficult to complete depending upon the type and location of your pain. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Chris Liaghat)

Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Tara Paradiso participates in a sunrise yoga class on the flight deck aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. If you’re thinking of adding exercise to your pain management plan, consider the following types: aerobic, strength, and flexibility. But make sure your exercise program is specifically tailored to your ...

Photo
Sep 23, 2016

Healthy aging starts sooner than you think

Air Force Staff Sgt. Nick Crouse, a medical technician with the 193rd Special Operations Wing's Medical Group out of Middletown, Pennsylvania, takes the blood pressure of a patient. Heart disease, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are three ailments that take a huge toll on the body as it ages. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Air Force Staff Sgt. Nick Crouse, a medical technician with the 193rd Special Operations Wing's Medical Group out of Middletown, Pennsylvania, takes the blood pressure of a patient. Heart disease, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are three ailments that take a huge toll on the body as it ages. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Photo
Sep 22, 2016

Lt. Col. James Morrison getting adjustments to cochlear implant

Dr. Elizabeth Searing (right) makes initial adjustments via a computer to Lt. Col. James Morrison's cochlear implant. Dr. April Luxner, an audiologist with Cochlear Corporation, was on hand to witness Morrison's reactions to hearing with his right ear after 12 years of deafness. (U.S. Army photo by Jeff Troth)

Dr. Elizabeth Searing (right) makes initial adjustments via a computer to Lt. Col. James Morrison's cochlear implant. Dr. April Luxner, an audiologist with Cochlear Corporation, was on hand to witness Morrison's reactions to hearing with his right ear after 12 years of deafness. (U.S. Army photo by Jeff Troth)

Photo
Feb 26, 2016

Breathing techniques

Airmen and Soldiers practice breathing and relaxation during their off duty time in a deployed location. Stress can take its toll on your mental and physical health, including your heart health, but there are breathing techniques to buffer yourself from it. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Lance Cheung)

Airmen and Soldiers practice breathing and relaxation during their off duty time in a deployed location. Stress can take its toll on your mental and physical health, including your heart health, but there are breathing techniques to buffer yourself from it. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Lance Cheung)

Skip subpage navigation
Refine your search
Last Updated: February 25, 2025
Follow us on Instagram Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on YouTube Sign up on GovDelivery