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SAFETY100,000 free bicycle helmetshave been given away by NYCDOTto New Yorkers of all agesFREE HELMET, LIGHT AND BELL PROGRAMSDOT complements cyclingsafety message campaigns withpromotional and practical programsabout safe cycling equipment.Every fall, as daylight wanes, DOTstaff promote use of bicycle lightsby handing out a limited number offront and rear lights that clip easilyto bike seatposts and handlebars.Each spring as cycling picksup in better weather, DOT alsodistributes free bells, remindingcyclists that being heard ispreferable to being hurt. Both lightsand bells are required on bicyclesby law in New York City.Bicycle helmets are required bylaw for children age 13 or youngerand commercial cyclists.The DOT has partnered withelected officials, other cityagencies, and community groupsto give away over 100,000helmets to New Yorkers of all ages.DOT staff trained to properly fitbike helmets to New Yorkers ofall ages run the helmet giveawayevents. City Council fundingallocations, totaling more than$60,000, have significantlyaugmented the program.DOT staff fits free helmets for members of the publicCITIBIKE: A PLATFORM FOR CYCLING SAFETYThe CitiBike system is itself aplatform for messages aboutbicycling safely on NYC Streets.From the messages facing the rideron the handlebars of every CitiBiketo similar notices in multiplelanguages on the kiosk screensat hundreds of stations, ridingadvice at the CitiBike websiteand the discount helmet couponsent to every annual subscriber,hundreds of thousands of NewYorkers and visitors are exposedto easy–to–understand rules ofthe road. Unsurprisingly, CitiBikehas recorded an impressive safetyrecord in its first five months, whichhave seen over 5 million rides.Citi Bike handle bars remind riders to follow the rules of the roadSustainable Streets: 2013 and Beyond55