Bike Safety

Cycling is one of the truly great ways to travel around New York City — biking is efficient, affordable, equitable, healthy and environmentally friendly.

Bikesmart Cover page for the Official Guide to Cycling in NYC

Bike Smart:
The Official Guide to Cycling in NYC

Bike Smart: The Official Guide to Cycling in New York City is a helpful handbook with information on making your cycling trip safer and easier, including tips on using newer bike facilities such as protected lanes and bike boxes, and basic tips for locking your bicycle. NYC DOT distributes up to 325,000 copies per year of the New York City Bike Map, which contains the most important rules of the road highlighted in the Bike Smart Guide.

Download Bike Smart in English, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Italian, Korean , Polish, Russian or Spanish

A child wearing a Vision Zero helmet smiles at the camera as someone’s hands adjust her helmet’s straps.

Helmet Fittings and Giveaways

NYC has provided over 300,000 free bicycle helmets to New Yorkers.

NYC DOT partners with organizations and council members to host free helmet fitting events across the city.

Helmet fitting and giveaway participants will need to:
  • Be present at the event
  • Complete and sign a waiver on-site
  • Have their head measured

Please check with your local council member to see if they will be hosting a helmet fitting. You may also visit NYC DOT’s Facebook Events page or contact NYC 311 to check for an event near you.

Bike Helmet Fitting Tips

Looking for a new bike helmet? Here are six steps to find the right bike helmet and wear it safely. Six Steps to Properly Fit a Bike Helmet

Watch our video for tips to safely fit your bike helmet.

Audio described version of this video in English Consejos para medir cascos de bicicleta (Spanish) 腳踏車安全帽佩戴須知 (Chinese)

Cover of the Get There Flatiron to SOHO postcard. It features three smiling cyclists with helmets riding bikes on a green bike lane.

Get There

NYC DOT's Get There bike encouragement campaign features real New Yorkers enjoying bike lanes across the City. The ads include a mix of familiar neighborhoods and landmarks, along with average cycling time, highlighting how quick a trip by bike can be. The campaign includes a collection of postcards, each focusing on an important cycling topic. NYC DOT’s Bicycles and Greenways Unit and Safety Education and Outreach Unit distribute the campaign postcards, bike lights, and bike bells at public outreach events.

We know you’re enjoying the ride, but there’s more than just getting there by bike! Check out some common myths and facts about biking: Biking Myths vs Facts Postcard, Spanish & Chinese (pdfs)

Biking Myths versus Facts postcard with icons and text clarifying myths about biking.

NYC Biking Laws

Cyclists have all the rights and are subject to all of the duties and regulations applicable to drivers of motor vehicles. Download a complete list of New York City bicycle rules

  • Ride in the street, not on the sidewalks (unless rider is age 12 or younger and the bicycle's wheels are less than 26 inches in diameter).
  • Ride with traffic, not against it.
  • Stop at red lights and stop signs. Obey all traffic signals, signs and pavement markings, and exercise due care to avoid colliding with pedestrians, motor vehicles or other cyclists. At red lights, wait for the green light and/or the bike or pedestrian signal.
  • Go with the walk, unless there’s a bike signal or sign, cross the intersection when the pedestrian signal shows the "walk".
  • Use marked bike lanes or paths when available, except when making turns or when it is unsafe to do so. If the road is too narrow for a bicycle and a car to travel safely side by side, you have the right to ride in the middle of the travel lane. Bicycling is permitted on all main and local streets throughout the City, even when no designated route exists.
  • Use a white headlight and a red taillight, as well as a bell or horn and reflectors.

Bike Laws Postcard, Spanish & Chinese (pdfs) Go with the Walk Postcard, Spanish & Chinese (pdfs)

Bike laws postcard with icons and text reminding cyclists to stop at all red lights, ride in the direction of traffic, be seen and yield to pedestrians.

Safety Tips

For a Safer Ride

  • Ride in a straight line, obey traffic signs and signals, and do not weave in and out of traffic. Riding predictably reduces your chances of a crash with a motor vehicle.
  • Look, signal and look again before changing lanes or making a turn. Establish eye contact with drivers. Seeing a driver is often not enough. Make sure drivers see you before executing a turn or riding in front of a turning car.
  • Watch out for car doors. Be prepared for the possibility that a car door may be opened in your path. When possible, leave room between yourself and parked cars (3 feet is generally recommended) so that you can avoid a door that opens unexpectedly.
  • Stay visible. Wear brightly colored clothing for daytime riding. At night, use reflective materials and lights.
  • Use your bell. Your bell alerts drivers, pedestrians and other cyclists to your presence, it is required by law.
  • Don't wear earphones. By law you may wear one earbud, but keeping your ears clear is a much safer choice.
  • Wear a helmet. Helmets are required by law for children age 13 or younger and working cyclists, helmets are a good idea for cyclists of all ages.

Get There Safely Postcard, Spanish & Chinese (pdfs)

Get there safely postcard provides tips for safe bike rides. Cyclists should use extra caution when passing trucks, stop at all red lights and be aware of their surroundings.

Look Out for Others

  • Watch: Look out for people with long white and red canes or traveling with guide dogs. Remember, people with disabilities cannot always see or hear you, or tell how far away you are.
  • Wait: Always let people walking go first and keep the crosswalk clear. Remember, pedestrians have the right of way on shared paths and Greenways. Do not ride up behind or around a guide dog and owners.
  • Warn: Slow down near people walking, and ring your bell or call to let them know you’re coming close.

Slow Your Roll Postcard, Spanish & Chinese (pdfs)

Slow Your Roll postcard with icons and text reminding cyclists to:  
Watch: Look out for people with long white and red canes or traveling with guide dogs. Remember people with disabilities can’t always see or hear you, or tell how far away you are. 
Wait: Always let people walking go first and keep the crosswalk clear. Remember pedestrians have the right of way on shared paths and Greenways. Don’t ride up behind or around a guide dog and owner.
Warn: Slow down near people walking, and ring your bell or call to let them know you’re coming close.

While we continue to promote cycling as a means of transportation, we also want to help you identify our 175,000+ low vision or blind pedestrians.

Watch an audio described version of the Cycle Eyes video

For Children on Bicycles

  • Children under age one cannot be carried on a bicycle.
  • Children must be carried in a properly affixed child carrier.
  • Cyclists 13 or younger must wear an approved helmet.
  • Children 12 or younger should ride on the sidewalk, while adults must ride on the street.

NYCycles Newsletter Archive

The official newsletter of NYC DOT's Bicycle Program is NYCycles, an email newsletter providing updates on new bike lanes, bike-friendly events, and tips for new and experienced riders.

Subscribe to NYCycles monthly cycling email newsletter