Every year, up to 500,000 children and adults seek medical attention for bicycle-related injuries across the nation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many of these injuries involve collisions where a driver was unable to see the bike rider, especially at night. Some of these accidents can be avoided through safety equipment such as flashing bicycle lights.
Purpose
The purpose of placing flashing lights on your bike is to make you more visible to those around you. As light decreases during dusk or nighttime, flashing lights can draw eyes to the light, helping prevent you from getting hit by drivers on the road. Even during the day, flashing red lights can help drivers be more aware that you are riding in front of them. To increase your visibility even more, wear reflector strips on your clothing or helmet, or wear white or bright clothing to make yourself more visible.
Position
Flashing lights can be placed on the back of the bike just above the wheel, or on the front between the handlebars. Newer additions include flashing lights that you can place on the spokes of your wheels. Placement of the flashing light on the back of the bike is more common because it is suggested that you always ride with the flow of traffic, says the King County, Washington, Department of Transportation. Some states have laws requiring bikers to ride with the flow of traffic.
Types
Flashing bike lights come in two main styles, traditional and LED. Traditional flashing lights use regular light bulbs to produce power, but consume energy faster, resulting in the need to charge or change the batteries in the fixture more often. LED fixtures or light-emitting diodes can be significantly brighter while using less power.
Cost
Flashing bicycle lights can vary widely in costs, depending on the type of lights being used, the brand name and the quality of the light itself. For example, you may be able to find lights for as little as $10, as of January 2011, but they most likely will not have LED technology. Some bike lights can cost more than $100. Most lights use AA or AAA batteries as a power source.
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