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Bike + Walk safe
Walk safe:
Pedestrian resources
Everyone has different preferences when it comes to transportation, but at one time or another everyone is a pedestrian.
Whether you’re a concerned resident, a parent or a caregiver, you want to do everything you can to make sure you, your loved ones and your neighbors can enjoy walking safely in your community.
10 Safety Tips for Pedestrians
- To be safe, be seen: make yourself visible to drivers.
- Be predictable. Stay off freeways and restricted zones. Use sidewalks where provided. Cross or enter streets where it is legal to do so.
- Use lights and reflective materials, while wearing bright/light colored clothing. Lights provide the most visibility.
Be wary. Most drivers are nice people, but don’t count on them paying attention. Watch out – make eye contact to be sure they see you!
Alcohol and drugs can impair your ability to walk safely, just like they do a person’s ability to drive.
Stand clear of buses, hedges, parked cars or other obstacles before crossing so drivers can see you.
Always walk on the sidewalk; if there is no sidewalk, walk facing oncoming traffic.
Stay sober; walking while impaired increases your chance of being struck.
Don’t rely solely on pedestrian signals; look before you cross the road.
Look extra carefully if a driver is making a right turn. Drivers often only look at traffic coming from the left. Make eye contact before stepping into the intersection. And how about smiling and waving too? Be safe and be kind.
Get your free reflective tape today!
Every year we give out many strips of reflective tape to the Alaskan community. With reflective tape, you become visible to drivers and other pedestrians. Click the button below to get reflective tape for you and your family today!
How to Use Reflective Tape
The tape is adhesive and sticks well to clean, dry surfaces.
- Use on backpacks, winter coats, snow pants, walking canes, wheelchairs, or other mobility devices.
- Cut the tape with scissors to make fun shapes in various sizes to meet your needs.
- Place tape on parts of your clothes or other objects that move while you are walking, rolling, or otherwise moving. You can also use pieces to outline your shape. This helps ensure that light reflects off the tape and increases your visibility.
- Example: Place tape at the wrist opening of a jacket or the ankle opening on a pair of snow pants.
- Example: Place tape at the wrist opening of a jacket or the ankle opening on a pair of snow pants.
- Place pieces of tape on multiple sides of an object. This will help increase the chances that light reflects off a piece of tape and increase your visibility.
Always wear a helmet.
Protect your brain, save your life. For more information see the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration publication
“Easy Steps to Properly Fit a Bicycle Helmet.”
Adjust your bicycle to fit.
Stand over your bicycle.
There should be 1 to 2 inches between you and the top tube (bar) if using a road bike and 3 to 4 inches if a mountain bicycle.
The seat should be level front to back.
The seat height should be adjusted to allow a slight bend at the knee when the leg is fully extended.
The handlebar height should be at the same level with the seat.
Check your equipment.
Before riding, inflate tires properly and check that your brakes work.
Control your bicycle.
Always ride with at least one hand on the handlebars. Carry books and other items in a bicycle carrier or backpack.
See and be seen.
Whether daytime, dawn, dusk, foul weather, or at night, you need to be seen by others.
Wearing white has not been shown to make you more visible. Rather, always wear neon, fluorescent, or other bright colors when riding day or night.
Also wear something that reflects light, such as reflective tape or markings, or flashing lights.
Remember, just because you can see a driver doesn’t mean the driver can see you.
Communicate.
Alert pedestrians that you are near by saying, “Excuse me,” or, “Passing on your left,” or use a bell or horn.
Ride in a straight line, not in and out of cars. Signal your moves to others.
Bike Safe Resources
If you have questions about any of the resources below, or need assistance, please click here to contact us!
Step by Step
How to Fit Your Bike Helmet
Anchorage Bike Map – Bike Anchorage
Our friends at Bike Anchorage have a useful map available for planning your bike route around the Anchorage area. Click here to access the Bike Anchorage bike map, which has route and trail information.
Bike to Work/Wherever Day: Annual Event to Promote Bike Commuting
Planning for BTWD begins after the turn of the year. Multiple volunteer groups are involved with everything from hosting treat stations at busy bike intersections, securing prizes for riders, counting participants and helmet users, promotion, Tshirt designs, and much more. Information about past events can be found at the Municipality of Anchorage’s website. BTWD also has a Facebook Page with information about past events as well as upcoming cycling activities in Anchorage.
Visit this link for more information on how to get involved.
We are currently exploring how other areas of the country and world count cyclists. The next steps will involve coordinating efforts between the State of Alaska, City of Anchorage and Center for Safe Alaskans.
League of American Bicyclists Smart Cycling
Interested in riding more safely and confidently? Thanks to a 2014 grant from Safe Routes to School and support from the Municipality of Anchorage, Safe Alaskans staff and others in the Anchorage community have been trained as League of American Bicyclists’ Instructors. The League is the only education program to offer a nationwide cycle instructor certification program. If you are interested in participating in a Smart Cycling course or just want a quick refresher on the rules of the road, please contact us. For more information about the League of American Bicyclists, please visit their website.
Promoting lights and reflectors for nighttime riding
Safe Alaskans will provide free reflective tape and education about reflectors for bikers, walkers, joggers, or anyone who spends time outside and wants to safely be seen. We are currently done distributing reflective tape for the winter season, however, please contact us if you are still interested in reflective tape.
Bike counts
At Center for Safe Alaskans, we want to know how many people are biking in Anchorage. Getting a count of riders is an elusive task, but it matters when we are trying to determine if injury rates are decreasing, whether our efforts to promote cycling are successful, and where the greatest infrastructure improvements are needed. The challenges include funding and resources.
Resources & helpful links
We encourage the use of appropriate footwear and ice grippers to tackle the tough Alaska winter walking conditions. Local Alaska business Skinny Raven offers to put studs in your shoes for a small fee. No slips, no falls with studded shoes. Stud services are $10 and always free for those 60 and over.
For more information about pedestrian safety, visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Pedestrian Safety website.
For resources about children and pedestrian safety, visit the National Center for Safe Routes to School, as well as their Walking School Bus website.
Car Seats
Need help installing your car seat?
Our certified technicians are here to help keep you and your loved ones safe. Contact us today to schedule a personal car seat check.
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Contact Us
Center for Safe Alaskans
4241 B Street, Suite 100
Anchorage, AK 99503
Phone: (907) 929-3939
E-mail: info@safealaskans.org
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