May is National Bicycle Safety Month, a celebration of biking as transportation and recreation that is essential to our well-being and everyday lives. Bike to Work Week wraps up on Sunday, May 18, 2025, with Bike to Work Day falling on May 16. The events are designed to encourage people to find ways to celebrate biking every day. With more people out pedaling, AAA has tips for both cyclists and drivers to curb the rise of fatalities. With summer set to arrive in just weeks, cyclists should be aware that cycling deaths are highest from June to September.

According to the latest figures from NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), 1,166 bicyclists were killed in traffic crashes in the U.S. in 2023 – that’s an increase of 61 deaths from 2022. Bicyclist fatalities most often occur between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., and usually in urban areas. Failing to yield the right of way is the highest factor in fatal bike crashes, followed by bicyclists not being visible.

“There are many benefits to cycling – it’s good for the environment and physical health, and it is cheaper than owning and operating a vehicle. But unfortunately, it comes with unnecessary risks,” said Mike Formanowicz, manager of driver training at AAA Western and Central New York. “AAA wants to protect road users by educating responsible and conscientious drivers while encouraging cyclists to practice smart riding habits, including always wearing a helmet.”

Bicycles are a legitimate form of transportation, and bicyclists are legal drivers of vehicles. Yet many bicyclists feel they are not respected by motorists and must fight for their place on the road. Bicyclists and motorists can both benefit from reviewing the following safety tips and sharing the road.

Tips for Bicyclists:

•    Follow the same rules of the road as other roadway users, including riding in the same direction as traffic and following all the same traffic signs and signals. Signal all turns.
•    Wear a bicycle helmet every time and on every ride.
•    Be visible by wearing bright colors during the day, reflective gear in low light conditions, and use lights at night.
•    Remember that respect is a two-way street. Show motorists the same courtesy that you expect from them.

Tips for Drivers:

•    Stay alert—avoid all distractions while driving.
•    Yield to bicyclists when turning.
•    Make a visual check for bicyclists by scanning mirrors and blind spots before entering or leaving a lane of traffic.
•    Slow down and give at least 3 feet of clearance when passing.
•    Never honk your horn at a bicyclist - it could cause them to swerve into traffic or go off the roadway and crash.

Did you know AAA Western and Central New York offers bicycle service with every membership? A bicycle will be transported by AAA when it has become disabled or inoperable and can be reached from a normally traveled road by a AAA service vehicle. For those stranded on a bike path, the AAA service vehicle will meet the rider at the closest point of entry for motor vehicles. Towing is provided to the location of the member’s choosing, according to the terms of the individual’s AAA membership. Learn more at www.AAA.com/Bike.