Uniontown, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) partnered with the Pennsylvania State Police, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Highway Safety Network, the Pennsylvania Traffic Injury Prevention Project, and AAA East Central to provide bicycle and pedestrian safety information at Ohiopyle State Park.
Safety partners offered park visitors bicycle helmet fittings, bicycle child carrier safety tips, a chance to win a mountain bike and helmet, and educational handouts on bicycle and pedestrian safety. A representative from DCNR shared information on tick and Lyme disease awareness.
"Bicyclists and pedestrians are often sharing the road with motorists. Providing them with safety tips is one tool we can use to increase their safety," said PennDOT Safety Press Officer Melissa Maczko.
Bicycle Safety Tips:
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Ride on the right side of the trail or road, with traffic.
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Always wear a properly fitted helmet.
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Obey all traffic signs and signals.
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Slow down when you approach an intersection.
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Look left, look right, look left again, then look over your shoulder before entering the intersection.
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Use proper hand signals when turning to communicate with drivers.
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Wear bright or reflective clothing to help drivers see you.
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Adjust the bicycle to fit you properly.
Pedestrian Safety Tips:
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Cross only at crosswalks. Don't cross between parked cars.
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Look left, right, then left again and keep looking.
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Wait for a gap in traffic, then step one foot off the curb or fully enter crosswalk and make eye contact with approaching drivers.
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Always obey traffic signs and signals especially pedestrian count down timers.
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See and be seen – drivers need to see you to avoid you. Wear bright clothing during the day and wear reflective materials or carry a flashlight at night.
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Watch for turning vehicles at intersections, even if you have the right-of-way and proceeding lawfully.
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Watch your children. Children can't judge a vehicle's speed and distance and need the help of an adult to be safe.
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On streets with multiple lanes in each direction, be aware of what drivers in both near lanes are doing. If one driver is allowing you to cross, the other might not see you.
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If no sidewalk is available, walk as far on the side of the road as you can, and always walk against traffic.
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Always be aware of your surroundings, and never get distracted.
For more information on bicycle and pedestrian safety visit www.PennDOT.pa.gov/Safety.
Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.
511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts.
Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Fayette, Greene, Washington, and Westmoreland counties at PennDOT District 12.
Information about infrastructure in District 12, including completed work and significant projects, is available at District 12 Results. Find PennDOT's planned and active construction projects at PennDOT Projects.
Follow PennDOT on Twitter and like the department on Facebook and Instagram.
Contacts: Melissa Maczko, 724-439-7135 or mmaczko@pa.gov
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