Full Notification

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE               CONTACT: Lt. Kevin Toth
DATE:  May 3, 2021                             PHONE: (760) 839-4444
 
May is Bicycle Safety Month: Share the Road and “Go Safely”
 
May is National Bicycle Safety Month, and the Escondido Police Department is encouraging drivers to slow down when passing bicyclists, and asks bicyclists to be visible, predictable, and safe on the road.
 
The Escondido Police Department suggests the following safety tips for bicyclists and drivers:
 
Drivers

• Slow down. Give at least three to five feet of space when passing a bike.
• Wait for a safe place to pass when driving behind a bike, especially on narrow roads. California law requires drivers to provide at least three feet of space between a vehicle and bicycle.
• If making a right turn, assume a bicyclist is traveling through the intersection unless they signal otherwise.
• When making a left turn, yield to oncoming bicyclists just as you would for other drivers.
• Look for cyclists before opening a car door.
• Never drive distracted or impaired.

Bike Riders

• Be predictable, safe, and seen: 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 right-of-way to pedestrians within marked crosswalks or within unmarked crosswalks at 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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