Too many motorists don’t realize that in a lot of places, they are bound by law to share the road with bicyclists. This is especially true in urban settings, where vehicles hit bicyclists or run them off the road daily. In fact, according to the CDC, there were over 494,000 emergency department visits due to bicycle-related injuries” in 2013. And sadly, over 900 cyclists are killed each year from accidents involving vehicles.
This is why safety should always be the top priority for any cyclist, and gear such as bike helmets, reflectors, bright clothing, and lights at night definitely helps keep people safe. However, one thing many bikes don’t have are turn signals — that is until now. Thanks to Eu-wen Ding and Jeff Chen, that problem may be a thing of the past.
With the help of a successful Kickstarter campaign, the two developed a revolutionary bike helmet called the Lumos, that comes equipped with turn signals and brake lights!
The Lumos works when the turn signals are activated via a small wireless remote that attaches to the bike’s handlebars. The turn signals also flash in both the front and back of the helmet. This way, cars in the opposite lane also know that a bike is getting ready to cross their path.
As for the brake lights, they automatically activate whenever the cyclist slows down, just like a car’s brake lights come on when a vehicle decelerates. This handy feature means a cyclist doesn’t have to think about it.
The helmet comes with one remote and a remote mount (seen below), as well as a charging cable. Best of all, both iOS and Andriod users have access to an app which monitors the helmet and remote’s battery level and lets you know if your Lumos needs charging.
As Ding told Mashable, Lumos is working on adding, even more, features to the helmet as well. The company is thinking about incorporating a ride tracker that would add activity information to workout apps in the future.
The Lumos helmet is available in a standard adult size and gives you three colors to chose from. The helmet currently retails at $169 and is available through their website. This product ships all over the U.S. and to several countries.
Whether you are a veteran cyclist, thinking about getting on a bike, or prefer to ride on four wheels, the Lumos is about to make the road a whole lot safer for everyone.