If you use your bike at night or when visibility is poor, you must fit a:
- white front light
- red rear light
- red rear reflector
- amber/yellow pedal reflectors – front and back on each pedal
Reflectors fitted to the front and the spokes will also help you to be seen.
You can get lights that are steady or flashing or a mixture (steady at the front and flashing at the back). A steady light at the front is important when you’re cycling through areas without good street lighting.
Check that any steady lights meet BS 6102-3. Flashing lights don’t have to meet the standard but they must:
- flash at a rate of one to four equal flashes per second
- be at least four candelas in brightness
Your pedal reflectors and rear reflector must meet BS 6102-2. You can also use a light or reflector that meets a standard accepted by another European Commission (EC) country (equal to the British Standard).
Additional lights and reflectorsYou can use other lights as well as the compulsory ones but they must:
- be the right colour – white at the front, red at the back
- not dazzle other road users
If they flash, it must be at a rate of one to four equal flashes per second.
