Be seen. Be safe.

Make it a priority to "be seen" when you're out this fall and winter.

With the change of season it's time to consider how visible you and your family are at night or during low-light hours.

Here are some tips to help you be seen and be safe during the winter months:

1. Wear light-colored or reflective outerwear. You are first visible to a driver 500 feet away when you are wearing reflective clothing—compared to just 55 feet away when wearing dark colors.
2. Add shine. Put reflective tape and strips on your shoes, backpack, purse, bike wheel spokes, jacket sleeves, pant legs… really, anywhere and everywhere! Reflective vests, jackets and hats are great as well.
3. Use lights. We recommend all riders carry a flashlight, a cell phone or flashing safety strobes. When you're waiting at a bus stop, it helps if you stand up, move or wave as the bus approaches. And if you're a cyclist, by law you must have a light in front and a red reflector in the back, before sunrise and after sunset.

Did you know?

• More than half of the pedestrians killed in Oregon in 2010 were wearing dark clothing and walking at night or in low-light hours.
• Eight out of ten drivers who struck people at night didn't see them. Federal Highway Administration
• A driver traveling at 60 mph needs at least 260 feet to stop safely.
• Taking your eyes off the road for two seconds doubles your risk of getting into a crash. AAA