State agencies call on motorists to share the road following first bicyclist fatality in 2011
ST PAUL, Minn.—The snow is gone and Minnesota bicyclists are back on the road, meaning motorists need to share the road, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
The first Minnesota bicyclist fatality in 2011 occurred Thursday, April 21, in Minneapolis.
Officials expect a continued surge of bicyclists in 2011 and urge caution for those who may be new to bicycle commuting.
Mn/DOT and DPS officials say the law is clear—bicyclists and motorists share responsibility. Eight “rules of the road” to improve bicycle safety are:
- Bicyclists may ride on all Minnesota roads, except where restricted — such as interstates.
- Bicyclists should ride on the road, and must ride in the same direction as traffic.
- Motorists must at all times maintain a three-foot clearance when passing a bicyclist.
- Bicyclists must obey all traffic control signs and signals, just as motorists.
- Motorists and bicyclists must yield the right of way to each other.
- Bicyclists must signal their turns and should ride in a predictable manner.
- Bicyclists must use a headlight and rear reflectors when it’s dark.
- Bicyclists should always wear helmets and bright reflective gear.
Preliminary 2010 statistics from DPS report nine bicyclists fatalities in Minnesota; slightly lower than the 10 recorded in 2009. DPS reports each that year an average of eight bicyclists are killed and more than 950 are injured in crashes with vehicles. Most bicycle crashes occur during afternoon rush hours. People under age 25 represent more than half of all bicyclists injured annually.
For information about MnDOT’s “Share the Road” bicycle safety education program and bicycle crash statistics visithttp://www.sharetheroadmn.org/index.html.
“Share the Road” resource materials, including one 30-second radio spot, three 15-second radio spots and print materials in PDF and EPS formats, are available at http://www.sharetheroadmn.org/resources.html.
Promoting bicyclist safety is a component of the state’s core traffic safety initiative, Toward Zero Deaths (TZD). A primary vision of the TZD program is to create a safe driving culture in Minnesota in which motorists support a goal of zero road fatalities by practicing and promoting safe and smart driving behavior. TZD focuses on the application of four strategic areas to reduce crashes — education, enforcement, engineering and emergency trauma response.
