Oceanside police kickoff Bicycle Safety Month
By SDCN Editor
Oceanside, CA–May is National Bicycle Safety Month, and Oceanside police are encouraging people to take bike rides actively and safely.
To help keep people biking or walking safe, the Oceanside 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 and red light running.
The Oceanside Police Department suggests the following safety tips for drivers:
• Slow down and follow the speed limit. Be careful traveling through intersections.
• Look carefully for bicyclists and pedestrians before turning 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.
For 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 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 the program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
