May is Bicycle Safety Month: Share the road and “go safely”

May is both National Bike Month and National Bicycle Safety Month. The South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) is encouraging drivers to slow down when passing bicyclists, and asking bicyclists to be visible, predictable, and safe on the road.

SLTPD will be conducting special traffic enforcement details throughout the month of May targeting vehicle and bicycle interactions in an effort to reduce collisions and injuries.

SLTPD suggests the following safety tips for bicyclists and drivers:

Drivers
• Slow down. Give at least three to five feet of space when passing a bike.
• Wait for a safe place to pass when driving behind a bike, especially on
narrow roads. California law requires drivers to provide at least three feet
of space between a vehicle and bicycle.
• If making a right turn, assume a bicyclist is traveling through the
intersection unless they signal otherwise.
• When making a left turn, yield to oncoming bicyclists just as you would for
other drivers.
• Look for cyclists before opening a car door.

Bike Riders
• Be predictable, safe, and seen: obey traffic laws, use hand signals, use
lights at night (front white light and rear red reflector), and wear a helmet.
• Bicyclists must travel in the same direction of traffic and have the same
requirements as any slow-moving vehicle.
• Avoid the door zone: do not ride too closely to parked cars.
• If there’s a bike lane, use it, unless making a left turn, passing, or
approaching a place where a right turn is allowed.
• Yield to pedestrians. Bicyclists must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians
within marked crosswalks or within 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.