San Bernardino, Calif. —May is National Bicycle Safety Month and the San
Bernardino Police Department is encouraging more people to get active and
safely take bike rides.
“Bicycling is a great means of transportation and recreation, and everyone
deserves to ride to their destination safely,” Sergeant Harvey said. “Let’s look out for one another and share the road, share the responsibility.”
To help keep people biking or walking safe, the San Bernadino Police
Department will conduct a traffic safety operation throughout the month”
focused on driver behaviors that put bicyclists and pedestrians at risk, such as speeding, making illegal turns, failure to yield the right of way, and stop sign/red light running.
San Bernardino Police Department suggests the following safety tips for
bicyclists and drivers:
Drivers
• Slow down and follow the speed limit. Be careful traveling through
intersections.
• Look carefully for bicyclists and pedestrians before making a turn or
opening a car door near streets or bike paths.
• Be patient when traveling behind a bicyclist and give them space when
passing. California law requires drivers to change a lane, when possible, to
pass bicyclists.
• Never drive distracted or impaired.
Bike Riders
• Use lights at night.
• Although not required for riders 18 and older, always wear a properly
secured helmet. Helmets significantly reduce the chance of a head injury
in the event of a crash.
• Bicyclists must travel in the same direction of traffic and have the same
requirements as any slow-moving vehicle.
• Yield to pedestrians, just as a driver would. Pedestrians have the right-of-way within marked or unmarked crosswalks at intersections.
Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of
Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.