Posted February 18, 2014
The City of Tucson Department of Transportation (TDOT) is once again partnering with the Living Streets Alliance and the Pima Association of Governments (PAG) to sponsor a “Light the Night” bicycle light distribution campaign.
Bicycle lights will be installed on Tuesday, February 18, 2014, from 5 p.m. until supplies last, at the intersection of Liberty Avenue and Dakota Street, just west of Apollo Middle School, 265 West Nebraska St.
Bicycles will be equipped with a basic set of front and rear lights by volunteers from the Living Streets Alliance. Volunteers will also be distributing safe bicycling tips and information about the laws related to bicyclists, including the law requiring there be a front bike light and a rear reflector.
The purpose of the campaign is to improve the visibility of bicyclists at night while educating riders about the safety benefits of a bicycle light and the State law requiring a front light and a rear reflector. The law states that every bicycle, when in use at nighttime, must be equipped with a lamp on the front that is able to emit a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet, and with a red reflector on the rear visible from 50 feet to 300 feet. A lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear is recommended for safety.
TDOT wants to remind bicyclists of the need for front and rear bike lights in low light conditions. Drivers should also be reminded to be alert for bicycle traffic at all times of day and night, and to remember that bicycles travel on the same roads, must obey the same rules, and have the same rights as automobiles.