Get Out and Move for Safety!

The FDOT District Two Community Traffic Safety Program (CTSP) held a successful virtual bike/walk/run challenge during the week of April 23-30, 2022. The purpose was to share traffic safety tips and promote pedestrian and bicyclist safety in Northeast Florida.

The inaugural Traffic Safety Spring Bike/Walk/Run Virtual 5K was a great community outreach event encouraging everyone to get out and move for safety! The event helped educate motorists and vulnerable road users on safe habits while on the road. We reached over 1,400 social media impressions, interactions, and blog views. We also created a four-part message campaign that included over 4,000 emails sent to team members with traffic safety education and information.

In total, 43 participants registered and completed an individual 5K (3.1 miles) by cycling, walking, jogging, or running. Once completed, participants could upload their results to their race roster participant dashboard, download their finisher certificate, and receive a digital medal. The first 10 participants to upload their results received a Traffic Safety Team hat.

Virtual race logo

The event was held to promote safety tips for pedestrians and bicyclists:

  • Wear bright colors. Increase your visibility and use bike lights/reflectors.
  • See and be seen. Make eye contact with drivers when crossing streets.
  • Be predictable. Cross streets where it is legal to do so.
  • Stop! Look left, right, and left for traffic.
  • Be prepared for the unexpected.

Let’s MOVE for SAFETY all year long! As you enjoy outdoor activities this summer, please stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, wear sunscreen and a hat, watch for signs of heat exhaustion, take plenty of breaks from the heat, and cool off by heading into a cooled space. Wherever you drive, for work, a long road trip, the neighborhood pool, or the beach, make sure to drive safe and share the road.

Tips for Motorists, Bicyclists and Pedestrians

Share the Road

Motorists:

  • Share the road with bicyclists.
  • Stop for pedestrians crossing at every intersection.
  • Stop before turning right on red.
  • Passing bicyclists too closely is dangerous and illegal.
  • Focus on the road. 
  • Avoid aggressive driving.
  • Obey the traffic laws, signals, and speed limits.
  • Look in all directions before making a turn. 
  • Do not pass a vehicle that is stopping for pedestrians.

Bicyclists: Wear a helmet when biking. If a rider or passenger is under 16, they must wear a properly fitted helmet that securely fastens to the passenger’s head by a strap. Ride on the right side of the road, with traffic flow. Use bike lanes when available. Use hand signals when turning and obey all traffic signs and signals.

Walkers and Runners: Always cross the street at corners or crosswalks. Walk or run on the far left off the side of the road, facing traffic. Use sidewalks when available. Pay attention. Constantly look and listen for vehicles.


For more information on the event or about your FDOT District Two CTSP, please email us at TrafficSafetyTeam@dot.state.fl.us.

UPDATED Florida Bike Safety Law

We are concerned Florida is still one of the most dangerous states for cyclists and want to take this opportunity to remind cyclists, pedestrians and motorists of the updated Florida bike safety law. Passed to improve bike safety on our roadways, this bill went into effect on July 1, 2021, and was .

Here is a summary of some of the updated Florida bike safety law changes which were made to the existing statute:

  • Motorists can make a right turn while passing a bicyclist only if the bicyclist is a minimum of 20 feet from the intersection.
  • Florida driver’s license exams will now include bicycle safety questions.
  • Cyclists in groups of 10 or fewer can proceed through an intersection after coming to a complete stop. Motorists must let the last rider pass before proceeding.
  • Motorists MUST obey the 3 feet passing law.

Drivers who do not obey the law could be subject to a non-criminal moving violation.

To read more about these important updates, visit the Florida Senate website: CS/SB 950: Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety.

Northeast Florida Bicyclist Crash Facts:

  • 6,146 Floridians were injured in bike-related crashes in 2021. Of those, Northeast Florida DOT District 2 reported 500 injuries, which includes 13 fatalities. The number of fatal injuries from bicycle crashes declined from 23 in 2020.
  • Bicycle fatality and serious injury crashes made up about 8% of the total fatality and serious injury crashes on our Northeast Florida District roadways during 2021.
  • Almost ¾ of all bike crashes happen in broad daylight.
  • Bike crashes tend not to be the result of the cyclist or motorist being impaired.
  • Duval County had the most serious bike-related injuries and fatalities in District 2 in 2021. 
updated Florida bike safety law

The Traffic Safety Team website has dozens of important bicycle safety tips and resources. They are available for free. Below are some that you may download, print and share.

Visit our Bicycle Safety page for more resources. Materials are free to download and share. There are bookmarks, tip cards, posters and social media graphics. We also have a Safety for Kids page with bike safety activities!

Give 3 feet when passing

Bike Safe Activity Card

Pick up a free Bike Safe Activity Card at your local Northeast Florida library. The Community Traffic Safety Program (CTSP) distributed 15,000 Bike Safe activity cards this month to public libraries in all 18 counties of FDOT District Two. 

Be a Roll Model artwork
Bike Safe Activity Card with Traffic Safety Tips for Cyclists and Motorists

This Bike Safe Activity Card is double-sided with a helmet coloring page and a word search puzzle for kids or adults. There are bicycle safety messages for drivers and cyclists. The helmet safety rules are great for parents, caregivers and educators to discuss with children.

About the Bike Safety Activity Card Series

These free educational resources are part of a series that will be distributed quarterly this year. First, Drive Safe became available in January. Now, Bike Safe, launched in spring, which will be followed by Ride Safe this summer. Finally, Walk Safe in the fall. Each has a different activity or puzzle with important traffic safety tips and reminders.

The Northeast Florida CTSP has long since partnered with local, county public library systems. The FDOT District Two covers 18 counties, from rural to urban communities. Libraries are a wonderful venue for the public to access educational and informational resources. The are also a wonderful place for our Community Traffic Safety Teams to promote key traffic safety messages, like biking safe (wear a helmet) and driving safe (share the road).

Be a Roll Model activity card

We created this free digital, one-sided 8.5×11 Bike Safe sheet available here for downloading, printing and sharing with your community.

Our goal is to reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities on our Northeast Florida roadways and protect all road users. Together, we can make traffic safety a top priority. Check out the other three safety and educational activity cards in this series below:

The Northeast Florida CTSP website has many tips and resources available. For more Bicycle Safety Tips, click here.

Safety for Kids Activity Books & Bookmarks

New child safety for kids activity books & bookmarks are now available!


Activity Books

This is our Safety for Kids Activity Books & Bookmarks page. Our cool new activity booklet was also developed and printed in a two-part flip book for elementary age children and preteens. For the younger kids, ages 5-10, we have the “Safety Scores! On your way to school, at home, and off to play.” with great safety tips, fun puzzles and activities. The other part targets the older tween age kids from 10-13, challenging them to “Up Your Safety Game! Phone Down. Eyes Up. Buckle Up!”

Important traffic safety messages and activities cover a wide range of topics, including: child passenger safety (CPS), occupant protection, pedestrian safety, bike and helmet safety, ATV off-road safety and school bus dangers and safety. In addition, there are other key safety concerns for kids like swimming, sports, fire hazards and general everyday safety tips. We’ve got mazes, puzzles, coloring, games, crosswords, word searches, scrambles, trivia and safety check lists to keep the kids engaged while emphasizing valuable safety knowledge, reminders of best practices and fundamental safety rules to help prevent injuries or death.

Elementary – Sample Pages
 Activity Book - Elementary Pages - ATV Safety Message  Activity Book - Elementary Pages - Occupant Protection Safety Message  Activity Book - Elementary Pages - Water Safety Message
Pre Teens – Sample Pages
 Activity Book - Pre Teens Pages - Crossing Safety Message  Activity Book - Pre Teens Pages - Bike Helmet Safety Message  Activity Book - Pre Teens Pages - Sport Safety Message

Bookmarks

These double-sided bookmarks contain important safety messages for bicycle safety, distracted driving, pedestrian safety, and occupant protection tips for drivers and users. They are distributed to libraries throughout our community. Click on a design below to learn more about that particular topic!

 

Bicycle Safety Distracted Driving Pedestrian Safety Occupant Protection
Safety Bookmark - Bicycle Safety Message Safety Bookmark - Distracted Driving Safety Message Safety Bookmark - Pedestrian Safety Message Safety Bookmark - Occupant Protection Safety Message

More Safety for Kids resources can be found by clicking here.

These important traffic safety messages and activities can be downloaded for free to share with the children in our communities. They cover a wide range of topics, including child passenger safety (CPS), occupant protection, pedestrian safety, bike and helmet safety, ATV off-road safety and school bus dangers and safety.

There are also other key safety concerns for kids like swimming, sports, fire hazards and general everyday safety tips. We’ve got mazes, puzzles, coloring, games, crosswords, word searches, scrambles, trivia and safety check lists to keep the kids engaged while emphasizing valuable safety knowledge, reminders of best practices and fundamental safety rules to help prevent injuries or death.