Bicycles are becoming a more prevalent mode of transportation due to automobile fuel costs, increased pollution and traffic congestion. This is especially true in urban areas where bicycles and automobiles are often forced to share the same road. Conflicts occur resulting in accidents, damage and injury. Accident analysis reveals that visibility of the cyclist and inappropriate behaviour of the cyclist, such as not signalling a lane change or a turn, are major contributing factors. Hand signals are often used by a cyclist to indicate a turn or a stop. However, this requires the cyclist to remove a hand from the handle bar and increases the risk of loss of control. Road junctions will remain a serious hazard for automobile drivers and bicycle riders if the rider cannot indicate her intention and the driver does not know where the rider is going.
There are a number of signal light indicators on the market today by a variety of manufacturers. Some mimic police and emergency vehicle lighting and so are over-engineered, expensive and draw too much power. Others are too dim to function as a reliable indicator. Still others require the rider to remove a hand from the handle bar to manipulate a centrally mounted turn signal control pad.
Therefore, there is a continued need for a bicycle turn signal and brake indicator that is visible, reliable, and easy to operate by touch, controls power consumption and is affordable.