bfu – Beratungsstelle für Unfallverhütung Cycling or e-biking safely to work Company, event, date Name 2015Nobody slows for invisible people1

bfu – Swiss Council for Accident Prevention Non-occupational accidents in Switzerland, 2011 Every year, more than one million people are injured on the roads, during sports and activities as well as in and around their homes Nobody slows for invisible people 2

bfu – Swiss Council for Accident Prevention 2015 Nobody slows for invisible people 3 CyclistsE-bikers Seriously injured Fatalities174 –Accidents registered by the police in 2013 Bicycle accidents in Switzerland

bfu – Swiss Council for Accident Prevention 2015 Nobody slows for invisible people 4 Risks when cycling in general Collisions  Right-of-way situations, especially when crossing and turning  Cyclists acting as if they are above the law  Failure to notice cyclists  Distracted vehicle drivers Self-caused accidents  Riding too fast  Alcohol consumption

bfu – Swiss Council for Accident Prevention Special risks when riding an e-bike From a car driver’s viewpoint:  It looks like a bicycle but it’s an e-bike  Riding speeds are easy to underestimate 2015 Nobody slows for invisible people 5 From an e-biker’s viewpoint:  Handling in itself  Higher speeds

bfu – Swiss Council for Accident Prevention 2015 Nobody slows for invisible people 6 Cycling or e-biking safely to work:

bfu – Swiss Council for Accident Prevention 2015 Nobody slows for invisible people 7 Video: “Bicycle and e-bike”

bfu – Swiss Council for Accident Prevention Take care in right-of-way situations: it’s worth checking to make sure!  When you stop at a stop sign or where you don’t have right of way: Take a look and check to the left, front and right.  Look over your shoulder every time you make a turn and give a clear signal.  Before you turn and go across or at junctions, make sure you are seen by drivers of other vehicles (eye contact) Nobody slows for invisible people 8

bfu – Swiss Council for Accident Prevention 2015 Nobody slows for invisible people 9 Take care in right-of-way situations: it’s worth checking to make sure!  On roundabouts, ride in the middle of the lane.  Be aware that you cannot be seen in drivers’ blind spots.  Obey traffic regulations – it’s less dangerous and less stressful for you and others

bfu – Swiss Council for Accident Prevention 2015 Nobody slows for invisible people 10 Make yourself visible – even in daytime hours  Equip your bicycle with lights as required by law: - Lighting system with steady lights, white at the front and red at the rear, permanently attached or removable – visible at night in fine weather at a distance of 100m -Reflectors: white at the front and red at the rear, permanently attached - Yellow reflectors front and rear on the pedals – except on safety pedals  You’ll be even more visible with an extra red flashing rear light.

bfu – Swiss Council for Accident Prevention 2015 Nobody slows for invisible people 11 Make yourself visible – even in daytime hours  Wear reflective accessories (high-visibility jacket/vest, reflective arm/ankle bands, etc.). With light-reflecting items, you will be visible at a distance of 140 metres.  Ride with your lights on even in the daytime and wear high-visibility clothing.

bfu – Swiss Council for Accident Prevention 2015 Nobody slows for invisible people 12 Always wear a helmet when cycling!  Buy a cycle helmet with the CE-marking EN  Try on the helmet before you buy: with the chinstrap open, it must sit well and neither feel tight nor wobble.  Wearing a bike helmet is compulsory when riding e-bikes with a pedal assist system above 25 kph to a maximum of 45 kph.

bfu – Swiss Council for Accident Prevention Helmets only protect riders when worn properly! 2015 Nobody slows for invisible people Two finger widths above the bridge of your nose 2. Side straps should sit snugly, with room for one finger between the strap and your chin

bfu – Swiss Council for Accident Prevention 2015 Nobody slows for invisible people 14 Watch out! An e-bike goes faster than you think  Choose an e-bike category that corresponds to your cycling skills.  E-bikes enable higher speeds than regular bicycles. They are also heavier. These two aspects result in unusually long stopping distances.  Other road users underestimate the speed of e-bikes. Ride defensively.  Ride at an appropriate speed.

bfu – Swiss Council for Accident Prevention Ride defensively! 2015 Nobody slows for invisible people 15

bfu – Swiss Council for Accident Prevention 2015 Nobody slows for invisible people 16 Video: “An e-bike goes faster than people think it does”

bfu – Swiss Council for Accident Prevention Further information 2015 Nobody slows for invisible people 17 The following bfu brochures (available only in French, German and Italian) contain more on this subject: - «Radfahren – Sicher im Sattel» (Art ) - «E-Bikes – Mit Sicherheit leichter ans Ziel» (Art ) - «Sichtbarkeit bei Nacht» (Art ) Order them free of charge at You can find even more accident prevention tips at