How To Stay Safe on Nighttime Rides

We understand that not everyone has the luxury of commuting during daylight. Sometimes you have to get in early to catch a bus or stay late to burn that midnight oil, so it's important to be as visible as possible. That way you can ensure pedestrians, other riders and most importantly, motorists can see you when you ride.

This is all in the hope to prevent any accidents from occurring while you ride. GOTRAX always recommends to wear a helmet regardless of how fast or far you are going. Anytime you ride, put on a helmet. Anyway, let's get into how to stay safe on nighttime rides on your GOTRAX electric scooter or e-bike.

Increase Your Visibility

All of our electric scooter for adults and e-bikes come with a LED headlight, reflectors and a few have rear reactive brake lights. However, sometimes even that isn't enough. Avoid wearing dark clothing, you want to be sure to standout from the night. GOTRAX recommends additional LED lights that you can attach to your handlebars or deckboard. One of the best ways you can do that is with the Thousand Chapter Helmet with an integrated LED light on the back of the helmet with multiple light modes. It gets visibility at a higher point and with its flashing mode is more likely to be spotted in the dark. A reflective vest is another great way to stand out on your early morning/nighttime rides. 

Find a Well-Lit Route

A quick, and sometimes simple solution is finding a new route to take. Take advantage of your phones GPS map to plot a new route. Try to test the route during the day and check for lamps, streetlights, and the quality of the route. This new route could feature new bumps or cracks or short-cuts so its best to test it out before it becomes your go-to commute. 

Ride Together

If you know of people at your work or someone in your area with an electric scooter or e-bike, try to coordinate a time and place to meet-up and ride together. This essentially makes the group work together to be seen/noticed by commuters, specifically motorists. The more noticeable the group the less of a chance there is for an accident to occur. 

Be Prepared

Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. You can never account for everything but it's always nice to have things planned. Bring a small toolkit for quick repairs. A patch kit for flats. A small first aid kit and a travel size bike pump. These small items can come in handy when in a pinch. This also includes taking care of your ride to it can take care of you. Regular check-ups and maintenance can help you avoid problems with your ride along your commute. Take advantage of product guides or any other information you can gather that will help your rideable avoid issues for as long as possible. 
If we missed something on this list though be sure to let us know through our Instagram or Reddit pages! We are always looking for more and more information that can help our riders have a better experience on their electric scooters and e-bikes.