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How safe is your daytime road ride?

If you only do one this, do this.

Are you really safe on your daytime rides?

Many people assume that they can easily be seen during the daytime hours because it’s light outside, but research shows that taking this one extra step is critical to keeping you safe on the road.

Did you know...

Approximately half of the bicyclist fatalities reported in the U.S. result from crashes that occur during DAYLIGHT hours.

Collisions in which bicyclists are struck from behind by approaching vehicles are the most frequent type of bicyclist/motor vehicle crashes.

Studies show that:

01.

Cyclists drastically overestimate how visible they are to other motorists, especially during daylight hours.

02.

Unless cyclists are actively doing something to increase their detectability (be it with lights and/or visibility-enhancing clothing), they may not be seen at all even on the clearest, sunniest days.

03.

Using daytime running lights on every ride is the single most effective thing cyclists can do to stand out to motorists and avoid collisions.

What makes an effective daytime running light?

Buyer beware: not every bike light is a daytime running light. It’s gotta measure up on several criteria to actually increase your chances of being seen from a far enough distance for motorists to safely react and pass.

Trek worked directly with the researchers at Clemson University to develop the best solution for reducing injury and death to cyclists on the road due to collisions. As a result, Trek offers a collection of Bontrager daytime running lights that absolutely crush the competition.

Here’s why they are unlike the budget lights you’ll find online:

Bontrager daytime running lights are designed with a specific flash, focus, and range to help you be seen from a meaningful distance on every ride, day and night (most lights you’ll find online are only meant to help you be seen while riding at night).

Flash

Good daytime running lights use an interruptive flash pattern. This means that the light flashes in long and short bursts, at varying levels of lumen output to really stand out on the road, even in the brightest sunlight. Steady lights are barely visible until motorists are too close.

Focus

No matter how many lumens a light has, if that light is not focused, it won’t be visible from a distance. What’s easier to see from far away - a 800 lumen basic light bulb or a laser with only 100 lumens? If you guessed the laser, you’d be right. A daytime running light uses focused optics to concentrate the LED beam angle so it’s more noticeable from farther away.

Range

The sooner a motorist can see a cyclist on the road, the more quickly they can react to give the rider enough space and safely pass. Choose a light that can be seen at least 400 meters away. This gives a car traveling at 55mph 15 seconds to see and safely pass a rider. For optimal visibility, choose a light that can be seen from 2km away (that’s 5x more!).

And just in case you're still skeptical...

Research has shown a whopping 270% increase in driver recognition of a cyclist with a flashing rear light compared to without, while another study revealed a 33% decrease in accidents for cyclists equipped with daytime running lights.