DATE: May 1, 2024
SUBJECT: National Bicycle Safety Month
CONTACT: Mike Gens, Sergeant
(805)385-7847 (Tue-Fri 7am-5pm) │michael.gens@oxnardpd.org
Share the Road and Look Out for One Another During
Bicycle Safety Month
Oxnard, Calif. – May is National Bicycle Safety Month, and the Oxnard 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.
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 Oxnard Police Department will conduct traffic safety operations throughout the month, focusing 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.
The Oxnard 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 bicyclists 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 while distracted.
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 intersections.
Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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