Safety Tips for Riding a Bicycle

• Driving on the road requires care and courtesy whether you are driving a car or bicycle.  As road users, bicyclists must be predictable and obey all traffic laws by riding in a responsible manner.
• Maintain and regularly inspect your equipment.  Be safe and keep your bike tuned up.  Take it to a bike shop at least twice a year for professional inspection.
• Wear a helmet correctly.  Always wear your helmet to prevent head injury.  You helmet should be level and snug.  You should be able to see the helmet brim.
• Be visible and predictable.  Wear bright colors.  Ride straight in a predictable manner.  Plan ahead to avoid obstacles.  Signal before changing directions.
• Ride with traffic.  Always ride on the right side.  Do not pass motorists on the right.  If you approach an intersection with a right turn lane and intend to continue straight, ride with through traffic.  When a road is too narrow for cars and bikes to ride side by side “take the travel lane” which means riding in or near the center.
• Watch for potential hazards.  Scan the road 100 feet ahead for hazards – drains, potholes, tracks or debris.  Allow time to maneuver around these hazards and negotiate with traffic.  Avoid riding into open car doors by giving yourself 3 or 4 feet.
• Signal all turns.  Look back before you make a lane change or turn.  Signal safely in advance using one of these signals.

Three new crosswalks are controlled by High-Intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK) beacon systems. A new mid-block crosswalk was installed on Route 137 between Main St. and Broad St. to provide pedestrian access between the expanding Mill River Park on the west side and parking garages on the east side. An existing crosswalk and median located just south of Bell Street was reconfigured for improved pedestrian visibility.  The third system was installed on Hope Street near Springdale School. This new HAWK signal system allows pedestrians to cross on demand by pushing a button that triggers the overhead lights to flash yellow, then solid yellow and then solid red requiring motorists to stop during the pedestrian signal phase, and finally flashing red requiring motorists to stop first and then proceed after pedestrians have finished crossing.

Safety Tips for Drivers 

• Drive the posted speed limit.
• Watch for school frontage and school crossing zones.
• Don’t drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
• Don’t text or talk on a cell phone while driving.
• Be especially careful around schools, playgrounds, community centers and pools, and at intersections.
• Anywhere two streets intersect, a crossway exists. There does not have to be a marked crosswalk.
• Always yield to pedestrians who are crossing streets. They have the right of way when crossing.

The City of Stamford has the first leading pedestrian interval implemented in CT, at the intersection of Summer and Hoyt Streets. It gives pedestrians 7 extra seconds to start crossing the street before the cars at the intersection going the same direction get a green light. The pedestrian then follows normal crossing laws.

Leading pedestrian intervals enhance the visibility of pedestrians and reinforce their right-of-way over turning vehicles, especially at intersections like Summer and Hoyt, that have a high crash history. LPIs have a significant crash reduction factor, meaning it is an effective strategy to improving pedestrian safety and reducing crashes involving pedestrians at signalized intersections.

Studies have shown that LPIs can reduce pedestrian-vehicle crashes as much as 60%.  It has been successful in several US cities, including NYC, Chicago, Washington DC, Minneapolis, etc.  The City of Stamford plans to expand its use of LPI in high pedestrian volume areas.  Look out for the head start for pedestrian signals while you are walking in Stamford.

Make yourself visible to drivers

• Wear retroreflective materials and bright/light colored clothing. Many people are unaware that they are virtually invisible to drivers at night. Clothing with retroreflective materials (such as vests for runners/bikers) can make you visible from up to 500 feet away.
• Carry a flashlight when walking at night. Don't wear headphones. Use extreme caution when crossing the street—assume that drivers cannot see you.
• Stand clear of buses, hedges, parked cars, or other obstacles so drivers can see you.

Avoid dangerous behaviors

• Always walk on the sidewalk; if there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic.
• Be aware of the dangers of drinking and walking—walking while impaired increases your chance of being struck.
• Watch for cars reversing in parking lots and near on-street parking spaces.

Look before you step

• Cross streets at marked crosswalks or intersections if possible.
• Obey traffic signals such as walk/don't walk signals.
• Don't rely solely on pedestrian signals; look left, right, behind you, and left again before crossing a street or stepping into traffic.
• Watch for turning vehicles; make sure the driver sees you and will stop.
• Look across all lanes you must cross and make sure each lane is clear before proceeding.

The goal of Safe Routes to School or SRTS is to encourage students to walk or bike to school in a pedestrian-friendly environment. Reasons to start talking about Safe Routes to School during PTO meetings include increasing physical activity, helping students to establish healthy habits and encourage their personal freedom. The physical environment around a school can increase safety by slowing down traffic, narrowing the crossing distance, and signaling to drivers that this is a place where children walk and bike to school.

The improvements made at KT Murphy school facilitate a safe environment for our students:

• High-visibility drop-off/pick-up zone
• High visibility crosswalks
• ADA curb ramps 
• School zone flashers
• Curb extensions
• Yield to pedestrian stanchions 

The City of Stamford and the Board of Education are working together to improve Safe Routes to Schools.  Street safety will be incorporated into the educational curriculum, programming and operations at local schools, and also prioritized through physical improvements in the environment.  To learn more about Safe Routes to School and find out how to make an impact in your school’s neighborhood, visit www.saferoutesinfo.org.