Safety and Education
The City of Brantford and its partners work together to get you safely around the City. Check out some of the safety and education programs and resources below.
Cycling safety tips
Night Riding |
Make yourself visible to motorists at night by avoiding dark clothing and wearing reflective fabric that glows in the dark. From 30 minutes before sunset to 30 minutes after sunrise, you must have a front white light and a red rear light or reflector on your bike. You should also have lights in any dark conditions such as fog, rain or snow. |
Helmets |
All cyclists should wear a helmet. Anyone under the age of 18 is required by law to wear a helmet. |
Sidewalk Cycling |
Cycling on the sidewalk is prohibited in the City of Brantford. This can be dangerous for cyclists, pedestrians and drivers, especially when crossing intersections and driveways. Please use the road to cycle or any dedicated facilities (bike lanes, multi-use trails etc.). |
Vision Zero Road Safety
The City is committed to Vision Zero and accepts its fundamental message: fatalities and serious injuries on our roads are preventable, and we must strive to reduce traffic-related deaths and injuries to ZERO.
- Vision Zero is a global initiative with the simple and clear goal of zero fatalities or serious injuries on city roadways.
- Vision Zero Road Safety was founded in Sweden in 1997 and is a global initiative that stresses that no loss of life is acceptable, road safety is a shared responsibility and working together will contribute to a safe road network.
- In 2017, there were 1,760 collisions on municipal roads, 41 of which involved bikes and 45 involved pedestrians. Of those collisions, 297 resulted in injuries and two deaths.
- Locally, by adopting the initiative, The City of Brantford aims to make Brantford streets safer through improved education, enforcement, engineering, evaluation and engagement.
Programs in the Community
Bicycle Safety at the Children's Safety Village of Brant |
Grade 3 – Bicycle Safety
Please have students bring their own bike helmet! Visit The Children's Safety Village of Brant website for more information. |
Brant Cycling Club Intro to Road Riding Workshop |
Group road riding is an excellent way to develop smooth bike handling skills, as well as increased fitness, stamina and power. The Brant Cycling Club offers Intro to Road Riding workshops annually, as well as novice road riding weekly sessions. Check out the Brant Cycling Club page for more information. |
Sprockids – Youth Mountain Biking Program |
The Sprockids Youth Mountain Biking program aims to teach kids the skills they require to ride safely and the confidence to reach their full potential on and off the bike. Participants also gain an appreciation of the benefits of being outside and living an active lifestyle. Who: The program is led by experienced club volunteers What: Teaches kids aged 8 to12 (preferably) cycling skills in a relaxed and fun environment Where: The Rotary Bike Park, Rotary Centennial Waterworks Park, 390 Grand River Ave, Brantford, ON Visit the Brant Cycling Club webpage for registration information including dates and cost. |
Bicycle Safety Resources
For more information on cycling safety, check out:
- Cycling Skills: Ontario's Guide to Safe Cycling: a detailed handbook of rules and safety standards for any rider.
- Young Cyclist's Guide: a kid-friendly handbook of cycling safety tips and rules for young riders.
- CAA Bike Safety: safety tips for cyclists and drivers.
- CAN-BIKE: a series of education and skill courses on cycling safety.
- Share the Road Coalition: an organization that works to make communities more bicycle-friendly.