With the fall now arriving, drivers are being reminded to pay attention to bicyclists out on the road. Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning spokesperson Jon Ross tells WSJM News police in seven Michigan cities have been given grants to enhance enforcement of bicycle rules in the coming week. He says 137 people have been killed in bicyclist-involved crashes in Michigan during the past five years.
“Every year for the last few years, we’ve averaged about 20 bicyclists killed on Michigan roads in car or vehicle-bicycle crashes,” Ross said. “Hundreds more are involved in crashes and injured. This week in September has historically been a time when there are more than usual.”
Ross says drivers need to remember to give bicyclists at least three feet of space and remember that those bikes have a right to the road. Bicyclists need to signal and wear reflectors if it’s dark. The extra patrols as part of Bicyclist Safety Enforcement Week will be carried out in cities with the highest number of car-bike crashes. They include Kalamazoo.
