Bicycling is an age-old American past time.  It is a recreational and fitness activity enjoyed by children and adults—with about 85 million adults and children riding their bikes every year.

For some Americans, biking is also a healthy, clean, economical, and fun alternative for commuting to and from work.  Every morning, an estimated half million employees bike to work in the United States.  For employees, biking to work costs less than driving or taking public transportation.  It is also a great way for them to stay in shape, lead a healthy lifestyle and arrive at work refreshed and full of energy.

Health and Fitness Benefits

Eighty percent of Americans do not get the recommended 30 minutes of moderate activity five days a week. An alarming number are becoming more sedentary and obese, consequently risking their lives. Inactivity is a factor in 10 percent of total deaths and 25 percent of chronic disease-related deaths.

Biking is a moderate, low-impact, aerobic, physical activity suitable for all age groups.  Since 25 percent of all trips are within a mile of home, it’s ideal to ride a bicycle for good health. And while you are enhancing your physical health, you are improving your mental outlook and overall quality of life

Community and Environmental Benefits

Every day cars and trucks burn millions of barrels of oil, a non-renewable energy source.  Bicycles are 100 percent non-polluting. Every trip made by a bicycle instead of a car reduces the burden of low-level ozone, nitrous oxides, carbon dioxide, soot and noise on our environment and health.

Since short car trips (0 to 5 miles) are the most polluting, encouraging employees who live within five miles of work by bicycle can make a large difference in everyone’s quality of life. Converting short trips by cars and trucks to bicycles is a way to reduce energy needs and pollution emissions in the transportation sector.

Social Responsibility Benefits

Communities that promote bicycling and the infrastructure that support it are more livable communities—contributing to a healthy sense of identity and place that attract businesses and workers as well as tourism.

Support for bicycling promotes your company image as a community-oriented and environmentally responsible employer, your employees will feel pride in working for an organization that recognizes the importance of social and environmental responsibility.

Economic Benefits to Employers and Employees

Benefits to Employers

There are many positive consequences of safe bicycling whether the cyclist rides recreationally or is an avid bike commuter.  Economic rewards to employers are realized through reduced health care costs, less absenteeism and employee turnover and a happier, healthier and more productive workforce.

It has also been noted that a dozen bicycles can be parked in one car’s parking space. Bicycle parking is one-third to one-sixth the cost of car parking and frees up more parking space for customers.  Having employees who commute by bike cuts down on the traffic at the worksite as well as on the roadways and in parking lots.

Benefits to Employees

Bicycling is an affordable form of transportation. Owning a car is expensive and according to AAA estimates, accounts for more than 18 percent of a typical household’s income, while the League of American Bicyclists estimates the cost of operating a bicycle for a year to be only $120.

When a worksite provides safe parking facilities and other amenities for bikes and cyclists, employees can ride to work more often and spend less on transportation costs.

Sources for Information on the Benefits of Bicycling

• League of American Bicyclists
• National Bicycling and Walking Study Final Report
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center

For many people, a bicycle is very likely their first roadway vehicle. That’s why it’s important to begin to teach cycling safety at an early age.  The fun and freedom of riding a bicycle should go hand in hand with lessons on how to ride safely.  Adults should always set a good example for children by wearing a bicycle helmet and riding safely.

Each age of childhood development represents an important rite of passage in learning to cycle—from being a passenger in a child safety seat on a bicycle, to riding on sidewalks and close to home, to riding in streets and to riding independently.

Children under 10 years of age are not able to identify and adjust to dangerous traffic situations, so should never be permitted to ride in the street unsupervised. Children who are permitted to ride without supervision should have the necessary skills to safely follow the “rules of the road.”

The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center at www.bicyclinginfo.org has highlighted the cognitive and motor skills associated with each childhood age group and their ability to grasp basic safety rules regarding cycling. This site is an excellent source for parents in determining age-appropriate tools and activities to promote safety for pre-schoolers through the teen years.

NETS Bookmarks to Download for Dissemination

NETS Safe Cycling Tips for Children

kids bookmark jpg

download the kids bookmark pdf

(Files are large and may take time to download)

Brochures to Download for Dissemination
Kids and Bicycle Safety
Kids and Bicycle Safety – (Spanish)
Prevent Bicycle Crashes: Parents and Caregivers

Video and Clips
For Kids – Ride Smart. It’s Time to Start. (2002)
For Kids – Bike Safe. Bike Smart. (2004)

Activities and Materials for Kids
Bicycle Safety Activity Kit
Back to School Safely
Play It Safe: My Traffic Safety Fun Site

Motivated by the benefits of physical fitness, the rising cost of fuel or frustration with traffic congestion, more adults are turning to cycling.  Some adults haven’t cycled in years and others who have been riding recreationally are now regularly commuting to work or substituting a short bike ride for car trips and errands.  Learning about safe cycling increases confidence and can be effective for those transitioning to a two wheel vehicle.

Workshops, classes, bicycle user groups and organized rides offered by employers are useful in helping cyclists brush up on their riding skills and rules of the road. About 57 million Americans ride bicycles, traveling on the same roadways that are occupied by millions of motor vehicles that are larger, faster and heavier than bicycles. Sharing the road applies to those who pedal with their feet as well as those who push down the gas pedal. Employers around the country are getting involved in promoting bicycle safety events and activities to keep all road users safe and avoid collisions.

NETS Bookmarks to Download for Dissemination

NETS Cyclists: Share the Road with Motorists

Cyclists Share the Road bookmark

Right click and choose “saved linked image”

download the Cyclists Share the Road bookmark pdf file

NETS Motorists: Share the Road with Cyclists

Motorists Share the Road bookmark

Right click and choose “saved linked image”

download the Motorists Share the Road bookmark pdf file

(Files are large and may take time to download)

Brochures to Download

Seven Smart Routes to Bicycle Safety

Videos and Clips

For Adults – Bicycle Safety Tips for Adults

There is no federal law in the U.S. requiring bicycle helmets and no state has a universal bicycle helmet law.  Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia do have statewide bicycle helmet laws that apply to young riders (often riders younger than 16).  There is no bicycle helmet use law in 29 states.

Some 152 municipal localities have enacted age-specific ordinances that require bicycle helmet use, typically these laws cover bicyclists under age 16.

Fourteen states have no statewide or local helmet laws.  These states are:  Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont and Wyoming.

Bicycle Helmet Use Laws by State

Blue State-wide bicycle helmet use law
Red Some local bicycle helmet use laws
Gold No known local or state-wide bicycle helmet use laws

Sources for Further Information on U.S. Bicycle Helmet Use Laws

The National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) has partnered with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to develop a traffic safety legislation database that can be accessed at www.ncsl.org for an update on current bicycle safety legislative action by states and localities.

• The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) at www.iihs.org/laws/HelmetUseCurrent.aspx has current information by state on bicycle helmet use laws.
• The Bicycle Safety Helmet Institute at www.helmets.org maintains a list of mandatory helmet laws by state and local jurisdictions.

Source for Further Information on Laws Concerning Bicycling by State

MassBike at www.massbike.org/bikelaw/statelaws.htm maintains by state a compendium of links to state, provincial, and local laws that address the motor vehicle code, licensing, registration, bicycle equipment, rules of the road, safety standards, races, violations, and penalties, etc.

Bicycle helmets are 85 to 88 percent effective in mitigating head and brain injuries, making the use of helmets the single most effective way to reduce head injuries and fatalities resulting from bicycle crashes.  Nearly 70 percent of all fatal bicycle crashes involve head injuries. But, despite the known safety benefits of helmet use, only about 20 to 25 percent of all bicyclists wear bicycle helmets.

Return on Investment for Bicycle Helmet Use

• The estimated annual cost of bicycle-related injuries and deaths is $8 billion.  Bicycle related head injuries are costly because these injuries may require treatment for a lifetime.
• Every dollar spent on bicycle helmets saves society $30 in indirect medical costs and other costs.

Bicycle Helmet Safety Standard

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published a final rule in 1998 establishing a Safety Standard for Bicycle Helmets that mandates several performance requirements:

• Impact protection in a crash
• Children’s helmets and head coverage
• Chinstrap length
• Helmet stability
• Peripheral vision

A helmet meeting the standard must have a label indicating compliance with the CPSC requirements.

Wearing a Bicycle Helmet

• Model safe bicycling behavior.  Everyone – adults and children — should wear a bicycle helmet every time they ride.
• Be certain that your helmet meets the uniform safety standard by looking for a label or sticker on the helmet.
• The helmet will not protect your head if it is not properly fitted
• Never ride a bicycle without wearing a helmet, even on short trips.
• After a crash of any impact that affects the helmet, visible or not, replace it with a new one.
• Purchase a helmet that you are proud to wear. Select a color or design that encourages you or your children to wear it on every ride.

Finding Inexpensive Helmets for Your Employees and their Children

If you need helmets for a safety campaign, there are sources for helmets certified to the CPSC standard beginning at $3 to $5.  If you are seeking helmets for a large order, contact: Safe Kids USA has arranged with one of their sponsors, Bell Sports, to provide helmets made by Bell to their local chapters at prices around $7.50 each. Contact your local Safe Kids chapter or their national headquarters at 202-662-0600.

Most major US helmet manufacturers, on occasion donate helmets for a campaign. Contact them directly.

The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute at http://www.helmets.org/cheapies.htm has additional suggestions on organizations to contact.

For local purchase, a number of national retail chains, including Target, Wal-Mart have youth, adult and toddler helmets starting at $7.14.  Toys ‘R’ Us and other retailers have them every day for $8 to $25. Even bicycle stores, with their higher level of service and valuable help in fitting, usually have helmets under $35. Some local bike shops will shave their prices for a campaign to encourage more walk-in business. So you may find good helmets for your program at a local discounter or bike shop.

Resources for Employers: Keep Your Employee-Cyclists Safe

Brochures to Download

Easy Steps to Properly Fit a Bicycle Helmet http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/bike/EasySteps Web/index.htm

Download this free brochure (in pdf format) from the NHTSA site and distribute to your employees.  Available in English and Spanish.
www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/bike/EasySteps Web/index.htm

Informational Videos

Fitting a Bicycle Helmet (medium resolution, wmv format, 12MB)
Fitting a Bicycle Helmet (high resolution, wmv format, 44MB)
Fitting a Bicycle Helmet (Spanish, wmv format, 20MB)