28 Oct 2015
Be safe, be seen!
As the darker nights close in, staff and students are reminded to think about bike visibility as part of a campus wide safety awareness campaign.
Last year, there were three major incidents involving cyclists, with 35 reported near misses. Security also stopped and ticketed over 50 students for not having lights while on campus.
To help reduce this number and ensure that you stay safe, please make sure that you have lights fitted to your bike and that you can be clearly seen by other pedestrians and road users.
Campus Security launch the lights on bikes campaign this week and will be looking out for people riding without lights. Anyone who is stopped will be required to get lights or pay a fine.
Here are some other tips to keep in mind:
- Ride decisively avoiding blind spots, stay clear of the kerb and don't forget to use signals
- Use your lights when visibility is poor, be seen with reflective clothing and accessories and, try to use a helmet where possible
- Remember the Highway Code, observing ‘stop’ and ‘give way’, pedestrian crossings and traffic lights
- Follow campus road markings, particularly one-way
- Be especially cautious around car parks
Stuart Christie, Head of Security, comments: “We want the campus to remain a safe place and with the evenings closing in earlier, it is really important that cyclists ensure that they are visible to other pedestrians and road users. The University wants to reduce the amount of avoidable incidents that occur each year.”
For more information on staying safe on campus, click here.