Stay alert: May is Bicycle Safety Month

A family using a bicycle lane on th Street File photo courtesy City of San Diego San Diego law enforcement is reminding riders and drivers that May is Bicycle Safety Month According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration people were killed while riding bicycles nationwide in and an estimated were injured Bicycling is a great means of transportation and recreation and everyone deserves to ride to their destination safely Sgt Gregory Minter stated Whether you are behind the wheel or on two wheels we all share the responsibility to move safely on our roads Throughout May San Diego police will conduct traffic safety operations targeting driving behaviors that put bicyclists and pedestrians at jeopardy including speeding illegal turns failure to yield and running red lights or stop signs Police offered the following safety tips For drivers Slow down and follow the speed limit especially near intersections Look for cyclists and pedestrians before turning or opening a car door Be recipient and give cyclists space when passing California law requires drivers to change lanes when achievable or allow at least three feet of clearance and Never drive distracted or impaired For bicyclists Use lights at night Helmets are strongly encouraged for all riders even though only those under are legally required to wear them Ride in the same direction as traffic and follow the rules of the road like any other slow-moving van and Yield to pedestrians at crosswalks marked or unmarked Funding for the bike safety plan was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration