May is Bicycle Safety Month – RBPD Press Release – 05/01/18
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 1st, 2018
CONTACT: Sergeant Sprengel, 310-379-2477 ext 2359, stephen.sprengel@redondo.org
May is Bicycle Safety Month
With the California weather warming up the Redondo Beach Police Department and the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) are highlighting how bicycling is a great way to stay in shape, save money on gas, reduce pollution and when visiting recreational areas, a great way to see the sights.
These benefits are nothing new to cyclists and community leaders. Many cities have created bike-friendly routes now complete with bike paths, special bicycle parking areas and special amenities. National Bike Safety Month in May is just one way we celebrate our love to ride.
However, motorists and bicyclists must take extra precautions when they travel together. Riders often share the road with vehicles, which creates a host of hazards, and injuries can happen even on a designated path. In 2016, California passed legislation requiring motorists to proceed past riders with at least a 3 foot of clearance.
According to National Safety Council Injury Facts 2017, 488,123 people were treated in emergency rooms in 2015 after being injured riding a bicycle. The only sport resulting in more injuries overall was basketball, at 493,011. Football was third, at 399,873.
According to Injury Facts, about 1,100 deaths resulted from cyclists colliding with motor vehicles in 2015. With about 80 million bike riders sharing the road with millions of motorized vehicles, the importance of safety precautions in traffic cannot be overstated.
Cyclists who wear a helmet reduce their risk of head injury by an estimated 60%, and brain injury by 58%. That statistic makes sense when you consider the first body part to fly forward in a collision is usually the head, and with nothing but skin and bone to protect the brain, the results can be fatal.
To read the entire Press Release, please click here or on the Press Release graphic.
Get out your bicycles and Be Safe!
