As bike-related accidents increase along with ridership in Long Beach, the need for a broad, comprehensive safety plan has been enacted.
The “Share Our Streets” campaign—a collaborative effort between Bike Long Beach, the City of Long Beach, Long Beach Transit, and Metro—is now completely underway throughout the city in an effort to boost communication and knowledge between cyclists and motorists.
You might have already seen some of the banners on lightpoles—”Same road, same rules” or “Slow when passing bicyclists”—and advertisements on buses featuring Tony Cruz and other local bicycle enthusiasts. Now, you will find them in newspapers, on the Blue Line, online, in movie theaters and throughout the city’s entirety to encourage five safe practices.
According to Bike Long Beach, 80% of bicycle-related accidents are due to one of these reasons:
- Cyclist riding on the wrong side of the road against oncoming traffic
- Cyclist making a hazardous or unpredictable move such as darting in front of a moving vehicle
- Cyclist running a stop light or stop sign
- Motorist running a stop light or stop sign
- Motorist making an unsafe turn in front of a moving cyclist
These five reasons alone account for the overwhelming majority of bicycle-related accidents, with the top two being cyclists riding on the wrong side of the road and motorists making unaware turns.
“The ‘Share Our Streets’ campaign aims to help bicyclists better understand how they play a vital role in their own safety and to remind motorists to stay alert for the growing number of bicyclists who have the same right rights and responsibilities on Long Beach streets as motorists,” said Allan Crawford, Bike Coordinator for the City.
And in a smart move, the campaign is not just advertising-based. Rather, business owners and teachers alike are encouraged to go to the Bike Long Beach website and download printable posters, tips and pocket guides for riders, as well as signing up for training “rodeos” and neighborhood bike tours.
For more information, click here.