During National School Safety Week, the Canada Safety Council has a message for young riders: stay seen, stay safe

Most of us already know this, but with October upon us — for cyclists, right smack in the midst of some of the most dangerously dark months when it comes to questions of safety and visibility — it doesn’t hurt to share reminders.

They’re reminders, no doubt, that are particularly relevant to the youngest riders among us, too.

National School Safety Week is currently happening across Canada, wrapping up on Oct. 23, and in a statement, the Canada Safety Council is urging young cyclists to dress brightly when they’re on their bikes — especially with the days getting darker as winter approaches.

The council’s president, Jack Smith, stated in the release that drivers have more difficulty seeing riders on the road this year, as well as pedestrians. His official recommendation — something well-supported by anyone with experience on a bike at any time of year, but particularly during the darker months — is to double up on brightly-coloured clothing, and to make sure that their handlebars and stems are outfitted with the best lights they can get. Reflective materials, too, are key to riders remaining safely impossible to miss, he added.

In short, the rule to follow is to be sure that, when kids are out and riding, they’re wearing such materials or using such devices whenever a car needs to use its headlights — which, during the fall and winter months, is quite often. To help make sure kids have what they need to stay safe, the Canada Safety Council is offering a limited number of retro-reflective crafting kids to teachers and kids’ groups. It’s a fun way to not only take a DIY approach to staying safe and visible, but a fun way to teach kids about cycling safety at large.

Interested schools and youth groups can email the Canada Safety Council, or call 613-739-1535 to order a kit. There’s also a road safety quiz available to online to get conversations about safety started early. Kids and adults can access the Elmer the Safety Elephant website at elmer.ca.

More information can be found at canadasafetycouncil.org.