Bicycle Safety Month

May is National Bicycle Safety Month. The Seal Beach Police Department and California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) want to remind motorists and bicyclists alike to be courteous and share the road safely. Although bicycle safety is something that should be observed every day of the year, the month of May is dedicated to encouraging drivers and bicyclists to do their part to help reduce deaths and injuries on California’s roads.

“We all have places to be and not everyone gets there by car,” Chief Michael Henderson said. “Bicyclists and BIKE SAFETY

pedestrians have the same rights to the road, but face even more risk without the protections that vehicles have. We should all be looking out for one another.”

To help keep pedestrians safe, SBPD will conduct traffic safety operations throughout the month focused on the most dangerous driver behaviors. Here are some steps people can take to greatly reduce the risk of getting injured or in a crash: Pedestrians

• Be predictable. Use crosswalks, when available.

• Take notice of approaching vehicles and practice due care.

• Do not walk or run into the path of a vehicle. At 30 mph, a driver needs at least 90 feet to stop.

• Be visible. Make it easy for drivers to see you—wear light colors, reflective material and carry a flashlight, particularly at dawn, dusk or at night.

Drivers

• Follow the speed limit and slow down at intersections. Be prepared to stop for pedestrians at marked and unmarked crosswalks.

• Avoid blocking crosswalks while waiting to make a righthand turn.

• Never drive impaired.

Bicyclists

• Obey traffic laws, use hand signals, use lights at night (front white light and rear red reflector), and wear a helmet.

• Bicyclists must travel in the same direction of traffic and have the same requirements as any slow-moving vehicle.

• Avoid the door zone: do not ride too closely to parked cars.

• If there’s a bike lane, use it, unless making a left turn, passing, or approaching a place where a right turn is allowed.

• Yield to pedestrians. Bicyclists must yield the rightof- way to pedestrians within marked crosswalks or within unmarked crosswalks at intersections.