The swarm of bicyclists that emerges with the warm weather doesn’t always have the right of way on campus, officials warn.

The spring weather brings with it the concern of bicycle safety on campus, said Lt. Lowell Huggins of the Iowa State Department of Public Safety.

“Students need to obey the same traffic rules as motor vehicles when riding on the streets,” said DPS Lt. Steve Hasstedt. Bikers often assume that they have the right of way on campus and this could lead to accidents, he said.

According to DPS, more bicycles collided with motor vehicles in 1995 than with pedestrians.

“I did get one report of a student who was hit by a biker on campus,” Hasstedt said. Students should use the bike paths as much as possible, he added.

It is very important that students know the Iowa Bicycle Law and follow safety procedures when riding, Huggins said.

“The Iowa Bicycle Law treats bicycles and motor vehicles alike in many ways,” he said.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has four main safety tips for cyclists to follow.

* Cyclists need to remain visible at all times, especially at night, by using reflectors and headlights.

* Cyclists need to share the road and be considerate of motorists and pedestrians.

* Cyclists should wear helmets.

* Cyclists must follow the rules of the road by obeying traffic signs and using correct hand signals.

In an attempt to work on new strategies to maintain bike safety on campus, Huggins and Hasstedt are hosting the ninth annual conference and training seminar for the Midwest Association of Technical Accident Investigators, in May.

Huggins said, “Accidents will be staged to allow bicycle and motor vehicle accidents to be analyzed.”