Bicycle safety in a nutshell

The University of Missouri Police published these five rules for bicyclists that sum up the most important points for bicycle safety:

Stop. Stop and yield to cross traffic before entering a road from a driveway or sidewalk. Stop at stop signs. Stop when you have the red at traffic signals. Motorists follow these rules because they make the streets safe and predictable for everyone--you should, too.
Be predictable and visible. Good drivers don't weave all over the road--neither should you.
Ride with traffic, never against it. Cycling against traffic is 5-20 times more dangerous than cycling with traffic.
Use arm signals. If you communicate with motorists they will cooperate with you. Check traffic before merging or turning--just as car drivers do.
Wear a helmet. Your helmet is a lot like your seat belt in your car--wear it all the time as "insurance," but then drive so safely that you never need that insurance.
Lights on at dusk. Motorists try to avoid hitting a cyclist they can see, but an unlighted bicycle at night is nearly invisible to motorists.

Bicycling is a safe, fun, fast, healthy, and enjoyable way to get where you're going. If you "drive your bike" as experienced bicyclists do, it is no more dangerous than driving your car--and has a lot of benefits that driving your car doesn't have.

Find out more on MOBikeFed's Bicycling Skills and Safety page.