CHP trying to improve bike, pedestrian safety
The California Highway Patrol has received a federal grant to improve the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists throughout California.
California has seen an increase in the number of traffic-related pedestrian and bicyclist collisions. The most recent data from the CHP reveals 752 pedestrians and 164 bicyclists were killed in collisions statewide in 2013, a 6.6 percent increase in pedestrian fatalities and a 10.6 percent increase in bicyclist fatalities from the previous year.
The California Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety Enforcement and Education Project III grant runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, 2016. During this campaign, CHP officers will use pedestrian and bicyclist collision information to enhance enforcement and public education campaigns. Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The CHP’s enforcement efforts will include California’s 3-Feet for Safety law, which requires drivers to keep a minimum distance of three feet between any part of a motor vehicle and a bicycle.
The CHP’s educational efforts will include presentations that promote safe pedestrian, bicyclist, and motorist behavior; bike rodeos; and distributing pedestrian and bicycle safety materials.
This is needed and long overdue. I am surprised the increase in cycling deaths is only 10%. The 3 feet rule isn’t helping. When vehicles are pushed to cross the center double-line into oncoming traffic, there are going to be problems and when it’s vehicle vs. pedestrians or bikes- the smaller loses. Something has to give and expecting vehicles to drive into oncoming traffic, is expecting too much. My opinion only.
The real reason is Americans not only drive on the wrong side of the road, but sit on the wrong side of their vehicles. Same anology as wondering why we have so much gun violence.
Cars and trucks just get bigger and bigger… especially up here in Tahoe, it seems. I was attempting recently to locate my Civic in the Grocery Outlet parking lot and couldn’t find it… I had two MASSIVE vehicles parked on either side of it, I could not even get into my own car. Until lanes are widened to accommodate these huge vehicles, I fear nothing will change regarding bike safety. I won’t even hope that people would purchase a reasonably sized vehicle.
People sit on the wrong side of their guns when they shoot? I guess remedying that situation would effect how many people a given shooter could kill. Just sayin’.
Isee It looks like the 10% if from 2012. The 3 ft law started this year, so we wont know how that law helped or not until at least the end of 2017
If the bicyclists would stay in the bicycle lane and not attempt to ride side by side in the car lane, as many of them do, the 3 ft law would be easier to maintain. By the way, I too am a bicyclist; I stay in the bicycle lane where there is one and stay as close to the side of the road where there isn’t.