Eastvale, Jurupa Valley, and Norco, Calif. — May is National Bicycle Safety Month, and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, Jurupa Valley Station, 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.
Sergeant Ignacio Robles emphasized, “Everyone deserves to reach their destination safely.”
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 address these concerning statistics, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office 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 right of way, and stop sign/red light running.
In line with promoting safety, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office suggests safety tips for both drivers and bike riders. For drivers, they advise being mindful of bicyclists on the road and slowing down when necessary. For bike riders, they recommend wearing helmets, obeying traffic laws, and using lights and reflectors when biking at night.
Additionally, funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
For media inquiries regarding this incident, please contact the Media Information Bureau. If you are interested in a career with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, you can apply at joinrso.org or call 1-888-Join-RSD.
