Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety Tips

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! 


bike safety tip
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.

ATV Safety

The Northeast Florida DOT Traffic Safety Program wants to remind all-terrain vehicle drivers to always follow ATV safety guidelines and Florida law. There has been tragic accidents in our communities, especially involving younger drivers on ATVs, resulting in injuries and deaths. Please watch and share the ATV Safety Rules video below. We have also created a free ATV Safety Rules tip card which may be downloaded and printed. The digital file may also be shared on social media.

Click here for the printable PDF of this ATV Safety Rules flyer.

We have created this short video with basic safety rules to share:

Safety Rules:

  • Always use personal safety gear.
  • Only one person on each ATV.
  • Drive an ATV that’s the right size for you.
  • Drive off road only – It’s dangerous and against the law to operate an ATV on paved roads or rights of way.
  • Keep both hands on the handlebars and both feet on the footrests.
  • Adults should supervise riders under 16.
  • Be safe and stay focused.
  • Only ride when sober.

Vehicles of any type, including ATVs, are not TOYS and should not be treated as such. Click here for our “ATV Off-Road Rules” brochure with more all-terrain vehicle safety tips and Florida law (Florida Statute 316.2074):

Below are some great safety messages, information and activities to download, print and share!

Extreme all-terrain safety
All-Terrain Safety Activity – Always wear a full face helmet with eye protection.
Youth activity page related to ATV safety
Off-Road Adventures! Stay Safe on All-Terrain Vehicles + Get Ready to Ride Activity
ATV Safety art
ATV SAFE! All-Terrain Safety Quiz + Off-Road Tips for Kids and Teens

Click here for more information about rural traffic safety.

Happy Birthday Columbia County Traffic Safety Team

The Columbia Community Traffic Safety Team has been on the road to safety for 23 years!

Happy Birthday Columbia County Traffic Safety Team. Columbia, Hamilton, Lafayette, and Suwannee Counties have been part of FDOT’s Community Traffic Safety Program since August 21, 1997. For over two decades, local law enforcement, emergency service providers, engineers, educators, and partners have been dedicated to preventing crashes throughout their communities.

Watch Columbia CTST’s 23rd Year Anniversary Celebration Video:


A heartfelt “Happy Birthday” and “Thank You” to everyone on this multi-county team, past and present. We thank them for their continued support and commitment to promoting traffic safety. Together we make a difference.

Community Traffic Safety Teams (CTSTs) are locally based groups of highway safety advocates who are committed to solving traffic safety problems. This is done through a comprehensive, multi-jurisdictional, multi-disciplinary approach.

Multi-disciplinary means integrating efforts of the four “E” disciplines that work in highway safety. This includes Engineering, Education/public information, Enforcement, and Emergency Medical Services.  By combining these various disciplines, the CTSTs help to solve local traffic safety problems related to the driver, the vehicle and the roadway.

We celebrate the birthdays of all the teams of the Northeast FDOT, District Two’s CTSP. Be sure to check out our YouTube channel for more team anniversary/birthday celebration videos.

Read more about our Teams here.

Happy Birthday St. Johns County CTST

Happy Birthday St. Johns County CTST. St. Johns County’s CTST was established on June 26, 1997. We’re celebrating their 23 years of working to keep roadways safe from the beaches to rural communities.

Happy Birthday St. Johns County CTST

Enjoy a walk down memory lane with St. Johns County CTST

Watch St. Johns County CTST’s 23rd Year Anniversary Celebration Video:

St. Johns County in Northeast Florida spans from the Atlantic Ocean at St. Augustine Beach and Ponte Vedra Beach, through historic Saint Augustine, past many new developments including Nocatee and World Golf Village areas, and ending in beautiful farmlands and rural communities. They are dedicated to improving traffic safety for residents and vacationers enjoying one of Florida’s best destinations.

Community Traffic Safety Teams (CTSTs) are locally based groups of highway safety advocates who are committed to solving traffic safety problems. This is done through a comprehensive, multi-jurisdictional, multi-disciplinary approach.

Multi-disciplinary means integrating efforts of the four “E” disciplines that work in highway safety. This includes Engineering, Education/public information, Enforcement, and Emergency Medical Services.  By combining these various disciplines, the CTSTs help to solve local traffic safety problems related to the driver, the vehicle and the roadway.

We celebrate the birthdays of all the teams of the Northeast FDOT, District Two’s CTSP. Be sure to check out our YouTube channel for more team anniversary/birthday celebration videos.

Read more about our Teams here.

Happy Birthday Putnam County CTST

Celebrating over two decades with Putnam’s Community Traffic Safety Team!

Happy Birthday Putnam County CTST. Putnam County’s CTST was first established on May 6, 1998. They are a great part of our rural Community Traffic Safety Program in Northeast Florida Department of Transportation, District Two.

Enjoy Putnam County CTST’s 22nd Year Anniversary Celebration Video:

Thank you for your hard work and loyalty – spanning over two decades – and for making Putnam County a safer place to live, work and play. Happy Birthday Putnam County CTST.

Community Traffic Safety Teams (CTSTs) are locally based groups of highway safety advocates who are committed to solving traffic safety problems. This is done through a comprehensive, multi-jurisdictional, multi-disciplinary approach.

Multi-disciplinary means integrating efforts of the four “E” disciplines that work in highway safety. This includes Engineering, Education/public information, Enforcement, and Emergency Medical Services.  By combining these various disciplines, the CTSTs help to solve local traffic safety problems related to the driver, the vehicle and the roadway.

We celebrate the birthdays of all the teams of the Northeast FDOT, District Two’s CTSP. Be sure to check out our YouTube channel for more team anniversary/birthday celebration videos.

Putnam County CTST’s 23rd Birthday video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNrSjTkv7oU

Read more about our Teams here.