Press Releases

Battery free bright ideas to keep you and your kids safe when outdoors

24 June 2009 – If you worry about your children’s safety when they are cycling to school or out playing with or cycling to their friend’s house, you are not alone. A survey by Cycling England during the past year has revealed that 8 out of 10 parents now ban their children from cycling alone.

Cycling is soaring in popularity with all ages; it is a green and cheap way of getting around. Walking and Jogging continue to rise in popularity as ways of staying into shape and these days, we all seem to want to exercise outside more. However, statistically, going out is getting more dangerous; 75% of cycling accidents happen at road junctions where cyclists need to be seen from the side (RoSPA) and an average of 40,000 accidents per year in the UK involve pedestrians (Office for National Statistics).

Applying simple safety rules when cycling, walking or performing other outdoor activities such as wearing bright clothing and using lights will help you keep safe. But, the need for lighting is often overlooked in daylight, particularly in the summer. Consider how a single cloud passing in front of the sun affects the light; how quickly the sky can darken with a change in weather or how shadows from large buildings or bridges can affect a motorist’s vision and render walkers, joggers and cyclists, especially children who are smaller, without lights invisible!

Pedalite’s award-winning, battery-free, lighting, including its 360o pedal lights for cyclists, light energy absorbing Baglite, which fits any size or shape of backpack and the ultra lightweight Anklelite, which illuminates ankles or arms, all provide 360o lighting to protect all the family. The lighting ensures walkers, runners, horseriders and cyclists of all ages are seen from all directions, from up to 1km away.

Improving your children’s cycling safety

To improve cycling safety, 360 degree visibility Pedal Lights can be fitted easily onto children’s bikes in place of normal pedals in just five minutes. The Pedal Lights are uniquely powered by normal cycling energy and come on as soon as the cyclist starts to pedal. They retail at just £39.99 from many high street stores, good bike shops and online retailers. The Pedalite pedal lights harvest and store the cycling energy so the lights continue flashing for up to five minutes when the cyclists has stopped pedalling to ensure that children will be seen clearly when freewheeling or when they have stopped at road junctions and need to be seen from the side.

Simon Theobald, Managing Director of Pedalite says, “If your children’s front or rear light batteries run out, they have forgotten their lights, don’t think they need them in summer or simply forgot to turn them on, they will still be seen by motorists if they have Pedalite Pedal Lights fitted on their bicycles. And it’s not just at night time that lighting is needed. Our unpredictable summers can make the brightest day darken in minutes. Also, now the summer solstice has occurred, the days will become shorter and darken more quickly, so it is vital that children have lighting on their bikes at all times.”

Pedalite has commissioned a free downloadable guide for cycling safety which is available to all at www.pedalite.com 

Improving your children’s safety horseriding or jogging

If your children are riding horses, cycling, running or jogging then parents should consider the Anklelite, a battery free, weather resistant, ultra light-weight “super bright light” strap that fits comfortably around the ankle or arm. Anklelite requires no batteries and charges by absorbing both natural daylight and in artificial (ordinary household) lighting, a full charge provides over six hours of lighting when the product is used in the “see me” flashing light mode. Available on the high street, online, at cycling shops and equestrian retailers at £12.49, the Anklelite pays for itself very quickly by not continually needing replacement batteries that are costly to the wallet and the environment.

Improving children’s safety walking to and from school

If your main concern is your children’s safety when they walk or cycle to and from school in the darker mornings and evenings or when they walk or cycle to meet friends then Baglite is the essential safety product. Powered by absorbing both artificial light or sunlight and giving over 6 hours of bright light, front and rear, between charges, the Baglite is practical and cool enough to be used by all ages (children to adult), cycling to school, commuting to work or just out for fun!

The Baglite fits to any size existing backpack or back-bag, children’s and adult, making it also a highly popular product for parents too because it can be worn by you when you are out walking with your children on a dark evening or when you are pushing a pram. Baglite is priced at the perfect gift or birthday price of under £25 and is available from high street and online retailers across the country.

Simon Theobald added, “We can’t wrap our children in cotton wool or be with them 100 per cent of the time, but we can take responsibility for their safety and in turn teach them the importance of being safe and seen on the road. Pedalite’s much praised cost-effective, innovative products protect children’s safety, promote health and well-being and protect the environment.”

Your family’s safety does not have to cost the earth - these innovative products use renewable advanced solar (ordinary house lights or sunshine to recharge) and kinetic energy; you don’t need expensive replacement batteries and your old batteries aren’t going into landfill - even the packaging is recycled cardboard!

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About Pedalite International

• Multiple free to use high resolution images of Pedalite products, logos and other useful information is available to journalists at www.pedalite.com/press_downloads.aspx

• Pedalite International Ltd design and make cycling, running and equestrian accessory products for Safety, Health and the Environment with Quality built in. The products are available worldwide from all good retailers and the range of unique products continues to expand.

• Pedalite products are now used by tens of thousands of cyclists and sports people in over 40 countries, Pedalite products help protect the environment by eliminating highly caustic battery waste, plastic packaging and encouraging safer outdoor sporting pursuits.

• Tony Doyle MBE, twice World Pursuit Champion and four times European Track Champion is an ambassador and spokesperson for Pedalite International Ltd. Tony will be promoting the Pedalite products at exhibitions, cycling shows and through cycling clubs, retail outlets and in schools