Tips for Bike Safety Month

Bike safety class (File Photo – bikesgv.org).

The Pasadena Police Department will conduct a traffic safety operation on May 3.

By News Desk

May is National Bicycle Safety Month, and the Pasadena Police Department is encouraging everyone to get active and safely take bike rides while at the same time reminding drivers to be on the lookout for more people biking and walking.

“Everyone deserves to reach their destination safely,” Lieutenant Anthony Russo said. “Unfortunately, there has been an increase in bicycle fatalities and injuries over the last few years. Bicyclists do not have the same protections as people in a vehicle so if you see a bicyclist — slow down.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 1,105 people killed while riding a bike in 2022, and an estimated 46,195 bicyclists were injured. In 2021, 976 bicyclists were killed (a 1.9% increase from 2020) and an estimated 41,615 bicyclists were injured (a 7% increase from 2020).

To help keep people safe while biking or walking, the Pasadena Police Department will conduct a traffic safety operation on Friday, May 3 focused on driver behaviors that put bicyclists and pedestrians at risk, such as speeding, making illegal turns, failure to yield right of way, and stop sign/red light running.

Safety tips for bicyclists and drivers

Drivers:

• Slow down and follow the speed limit.
• Be careful traveling through intersections.
• Look carefully for bicyclists 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 and always pass with at least 3 feet of space.
• Never drive distracted or impaired.

Bike Riders:

• Use lights at night.
• Always wear a properly secured helmet, to reduce the chance of a head injury in the event of a crash.
• Travel in the same direction as traffic. Bicyclists have the same requirements as any slow-moving vehicle.
• Yield to pedestrians. Pedestrians have the right-of-way within marked or unmarked crosswalks.