Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety Tips

Posted on 03/06/2023 by Traffic Safety Team

Florida’s weather may be unpredictable, but it offers many great opportunities to get outside. Residents, snowbirds, and vacationers enjoy riding their bikes and walking. Your Community Traffic Safety Team wants everyone to stay safe by following these pedestrian and bicyclist safety tips!

*Wear bright colors. Increase your visibility and use bike lights/reflectors.*

With so many people heading outdoors for a bike ride, motorists – please ALWAYS WATCH for bicyclists on the road. Bicyclists, wear bright colors or reflective gear, so you are visible.

*See and be seen. Make eye contact with drivers when crossing streets.*

Walking is great for your health and environment! Lace-up and get moving, but be sure to SEE and BE SEEN. Make eye contact with drivers. Drivers, please look in all directions for people on foot!

*Be predictable. Use sidewalks where provided. Cross streets where it is legal to do so.*

It’s essential when riding your bicycle to be predictable. Use sidewalks and cross where it is legal. Motorists are to give three feet by law when following or passing cyclists.

*Stop! Look left, right, and left for traffic.*

Walking is a great way to get fresh air and exercise. Remember to look left, right, and left again for traffic. Motorists, please drive with care and share the road.

*Walk defensively. Be prepared for the unexpected.*

Pedestrians should walk defensively and be prepared for the unexpected. Drivers, please remember to focus on driving and eliminate distractions; phones down, eyes up!

*Be careful in parking lots. They can be more hazardous than streets!*

Be careful in busy parking lots – these areas can be more dangerous than streets! Drivers must proceed with caution and be on the lookout for pedestrians.

WALKING AND BIKING DEFENSIVELY

Walking and bike riding are great ways to stay active and healthy. Exercising is also a great tool for people of all ages and improves driving skills, especially older drivers. To learn more, check out our Defensive Driving Tools.

Exercise/Fitness Benefits:

Enhances mobility, flexibility, and balance
- Helps maintain or lose weight
- Reduces impact of illness and chronic disease
- Helps with better sleep and more energy
- Improves mood and self-confidence
- Boosts cognitive function

Click here for more great pedestrian safety tips for walkers and drivers.

Click here for important bicycle safety tips and resources for cyclists and motorists.

Get Out and Move for Safety!

Posted on 06/08/2022 by Traffic Safety Team

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.

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

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.

Bicycle Safety

Pedestrian Safety

Traffic Safety

Safety for Kids Activity Books & Bookmarks

Posted on 08/26/2019 by Traffic Safety Team

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

Pre Teens – Sample Pages

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

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.

Pedestrian Safety – Traffic Control Box Wraps

Posted on 07/19/2017 by Traffic Safety Team

Traffic Control Box Wraps: “Push, Wait, Walk”

Over 70 pedestrian safety traffic control box wraps have been installed in Northeast Florida with a message that reminds walkers to “Always Use The Crosswalk, Walk On Sidewalks & Be Aware!” When crossing at a lighted intersection with a crosswalk, it is important to “Push” the crosswalk button, “Wait” for the light to change and cars to completely stop, and “Walk” with caution while making sure oncoming cars are stopping and drivers see you in the crosswalk. Take a look at the quick highlight video of this message on traffic control boxes.

Your Community Traffic Safety Team is dedicated to “Bringing You Home Safely.” Remember to always use a crosswalk or cross at an intersection, not in the middle of a block. Walk on the sidewalk or facing traffic as far from traffic as possible when a sidewalk is not available. Constantly be aware, and make sure drivers see you!

We have also been targeting drivers with its “No Regrets When You DRIVE WITH CARE” safety messages and continues to promote safe driving education and reminders. Over the past year, the campaign has been extended onto streets for a positive reminder to walkers everywhere to be safe and arrive alive.

Visit our Pedestrian Safety page for more information and resources.

Video clip of the first pedestrian safety message being installed on a traffic control box: Crosswalk Safety