The Importance of Remaining Vigilant

·	Head injuries continue to be the main cause of death among cyclists. These types of injuries are the most severe and account for 60% of deaths and 30% of serious injuries;
·	Approximately one quarter of victims are age 15 or under;
·	An estimated 85% of accidents occur in residential or commercial neighbourhoods, mainly in zones where the speed limit is 50 km/h or less;
·	Most accidents occur between noon and 8:00 p.m.;
·	Approximately 55% of fatal road accidents occur in areas other than intersections;
·	One in ten accidents occurs in wet road conditions;
·	Negligence and inattention (on the part of motorists or cyclists) are the principal causes of fatal accidents.

Other factors that can result in accidents:

·	Failure to stop at a stop sign, red light or failure to yield the right of way where required;
·	Failure to be clearly visible to other road users;
·	Failure to ride in the direction of traffic

	Remain visible at all times Equip your bicycle with reflectors, a red light at the rear, a white headlight at the front and reflective strips. Other vehicles are larger than you, so make sure you are visible in traffic, especially at night.
Be alert Look out for dangers on the road (doors of parked cars, potholes or broken pavement and other obstacles) and obey traffic signals. Yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and never ride on the sidewalk.
	Ride with the flow of traffic Ride in a straight line in a predictable manner, with the flow of traffic, and stay on the far right side of the road. Do not forget to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians at intersections where right turns at a red light are allowed.
Signal your intentions Check behind you before changing lanes or turning. Use hand signals to indicate your intention to turn. This is also a great way to make your presence known to other road users.
	Turn left safely There are two ways to do this: 1. like a vehicle, by staying on the    left lane at an intersection; 2. like a pedestrian, by making    an “L” shaped turn.
Wear your helmet properly An improperly adjusted helmet is ineffective. The helmet must not tilt too low on your forehead or the back of your head. There should be room for the width of two fingers between your eyebrows and the helmet. The straps should form a “Y” shape under the earlobes. A properly adjusted buckle should leave room for one finger between the strap and your chin.
Adjust your driving Keep longer distances to brake under rain or snow conditions.