May is National Bicycle Safety Month, and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office – San Jacinto Station is encouraging everyone to be active and safely enjoy bike rides. At the same time, they are reminding drivers to be vigilant for increased numbers of cyclists and pedestrians.
"Everyone deserves to reach their destination safely," said Sergeant Patrick Lynch. "Unfortunately, there has been an increase in bicycle fatalities and injuries over the last few years. Bicyclists do not have the same protections as people in a vehicle so if you see a bicyclist – slow down."
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that 1,105 people were killed while riding a bike in 2022, and an estimated 46,195 bicyclists were injured. In comparison, 976 bicyclists were killed in 2021 (a 1.9% increase from 2020), and an estimated 41,615 bicyclists were injured (a 7% increase from 2020).
To enhance safety for bikers and pedestrians, the San Jacinto Station will conduct a traffic safety operation on May 15, 2024, from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The operation will focus 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 Riverside County Sheriff’s Office suggests several safety tips for both bicyclists and drivers. The 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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