Bicycling is one of the best ways to get exercise outdoors, yet bicyclists face many hazards when sharing the road with motor vehicles. National Bike Month is a great time to reacquaint yourself with bike safety before you head out for your next ride. 

Bicycling Safety Basics

1. Check Your Equipment. Make sure your seat is set at the right height for you and locked in place; properly inflate your tires; add a working horn or bell, a rear-view mirror, and a headlight.
2. Wear bright-colored clothing. Florescent, bright colors help others see you, especially in the shade during the day.
3. Use lights at dusk and at night. According to Massachusetts law, you must use a white headlight and red taillight or rear reflector if you are riding anytime from 1/2 hour after sunset until 1/2 hour before sunrise. At night, you must wear ankle reflectors if there are no reflectors on your pedals.
4. Wear a Helmet. Massachusetts law requires that persons 16 years old and younger must wear a helmet. While adults are not required to wear a bike helmet, it offers head and brain protection in the case of a fall or crash. (Watch a helmet-fitting video below.)
5. Know the "rules of the road." Download the Mass.gov rules of the road for bicyclists and motorists driving in the presence of bicyclists. (Watch rules of the road video below.)
6. Ride at least three feet from parked cars. Stay outside of the "door zone" and protect yourself from getting hit by opening vehicle doors.

The snow and ice are gone, and it’s time to move back outdoors. Gathering by an outdoor fire pit is a great way to create a physically distanced, socially connected, warm, and cozy setting. But there are a few things to know before you break out the s’mores supplies and strike the match.

First and foremost, if you are new to using a fire pit in your yard, call your local fire department to check fire pit regulations in your city or town — some municipalities prohibit fire pits, chimineas, and outdoor fireplaces. Once you've determined that it's safe to use a fire pit in your yard, take a few minutes to become familiar with Massachusetts fire pit regulations as well as fire-building and fire safety skills listed below.

Have you noticed the exit number changes on I-95 or Route 128 recently?

This month you'll see more changes to exit signs on both highways.

The exit numbers have already been changed on the Massachusetts Turnpike. Crews are currently working to finish Route 3, and some signs have been changed on I-95. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is converting all exit numbers on freeways to a milepost-based numbering system, per a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) requirement. Currently, interstates and freeways in Massachusetts utilize a sequential exit numbering method. 

Why the Exit Numbers Change?