Vol. 524 No. 5
375 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the action he plans to take to ensure that cyclists are equipped with lights and adequate reflective bands in view of the fact that many cyclists are putting their own safety and that of motorists at risk due to the lack of visibility on the roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23014/00]
The duty on cyclists to display lighting on their cycles at night is set out in the Road Traffic (Lighting of Vehicles) Regulations, 1963, which prescribe, in addition to a red rear reflector, a white or yellow light to the front and a red light to the rear. Furthermore, as contained in the Rules of the Road, cyclists are advised to supplement these lighting requirements with additional reflective material, such as a belt.
The National Safety Council has produced a leaflet entitled, "Pedal Sense", which advises cyclists to display lights at night and more recently the council has included a section on cycling in their resource pack for primary schools, "Be Safe", which also emphasises the need to display lights on cycles at night.
