May is National Bicycle Safety Month and the La Mesa Police Department is encouraging more people to get active and safely take bike rides.

“Bicycling is a great means of transportation and recreation,” Chief Ray Sweeney said. “Let’s look out for one another and make sure everyone arrives safely at their destination. Share the road and share the responsibility.”

To keep pedestrians and bicyclists safe, the La Mesa Police Department is conducting 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.

The La Mesa Police Department suggests the following safety tips for bicyclists and drivers:

Drivers

• Slow down and follow the speed limit. Be careful traveling through intersections.

• Look for bicyclists and pedestrians before making a turn or opening a car door near streets or bike paths.

• Be patient when traveling behind a bicyclist and give them space when passing. California law requires drivers to change a lane, when possible, to pass bicyclists.

• Never drive distracted or impaired.

Bike Riders

• Use lights at night.

• Although not required for riders 18 and older, always wear a properly secured helmet. Helmets significantly reduce the chance of a head injury in the event of a crash.

• Bicyclists must travel in the same direction of traffic and have the same requirements as any slow-moving vehicle.

• Yield to pedestrians, just as a driver would. Pedestrians have the right-of-way within marked or 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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