Bright-colored or fluorescent vests or belts can be worn over normal clothing. For cycling at night, when it is especially difficult for car drivers to see a cyclist, it is even more important to wear conspicuous clothing. Retroreflective material should be sewn onto clothing and retroreflectors should be mounted onto the bicycle. Otherwise, retroreflective vests or belts can be worn over normal clothing. A lit light at the front of the bicycle is now required by law in all states for nighttime bicycling.
Some states also require a lit light at the back.
Bicyclists should always wear a helmet to provide head protection in case they fall or are knocked down. It is especially important to provide infants or small children with the same protection when riding with an adult. Head-related injuries account for 75 percent of all bike fatalities. Some states have therefore made the wearing of helmets mandatory. A cyclist should never carry a passenger on a bicycle built for one driver, except in the case of an adult with a small child in a seat directly behind the adult.