In Wake Of Bicycle Crashes Near School Zones, Police Caution Livermore Drivers

LIVERMORE, CA — Police in Livermore are urging parents to talk to their students who bike to school about bicycle safety and rules of the road. Officers were called to investigate two separate collisions near school zones this week, both involving a car versus a bicycle. Police said the speed limit in school zones is 25 MPH when children are present and ask drivers to use caution in school zones especially near driveways.

“Bicyclists ARE NOT pedestrians and are required to obey all traffic laws and to wear a helmet if under the age of 18,” police said via social media.

Police released the following safety tips to share with young riders:

BICYCLING ON THE ROAD

Bicycles in California are considered vehicles, and cyclists have the same rights and the same responsibilities to follow the rules of the road as motorists.

When riding, always:
• Go With the Traffic Flow. Ride on the right in the same direction as other vehicles. Go with the flow – not against it.
• Obey All Traffic Laws. A bicycle is a vehicle and you’re a driver. When you ride in the street, obey all traffic signs, signals, and lane markings.
• Don’t ride a bicycle in a crosswalk. Crosswalks are for pedestrians. Bicycle riders need to stay within the lane of traffic in the direction they are traveling. If a bicyclist is riding on a sidewalk, and wants to cross a roadway from one sidewalk to the next, they must dismount their bicycle and walk across the roadway within the crosswalk and therefore become a pedestrian while using the crosswalk.
• Be Predictable. Ride in a straight line, not in and out of cars. Signal your moves to others.
• Stay Alert at All Times. Use your eyes AND ears. Watch out for potholes, cracks, storm grates, railroad tracks, or anything that could make you lose control of your bike. You need your ears to hear traffic and avoid dangerous situations; don’t wear a headset when you ride.
• Look Before Turning. When turning left or right, always look behind you for a break in traffic, then signal before making the turn. Watch for left- or right-turning traffic.
• Watch for Parked Cars. Ride far enough out from the curb to avoid the unexpected from parked cars (like doors opening, or cars pulling out).

SIDEWALK VS STREET RIDING

The safest place for bicycle riding is on the street, where bicycles are expected to follow the same rules of the road as motorists and ride in the same direction.
• Children less than 10 years old, however, are not mature enough to make the decisions necessary to safely ride in the street.
• Children less than 10 years old are better off riding on the sidewalk.

For anyone riding on a sidewalk:
- Watch for vehicles coming out of or turning into driveways.
- Stop at corners of sidewalks and streets to look for cars and to make sure the drivers see you before crossing.
- Enter a street at a corner and not between parked cars. Alert pedestrians that you are near by saying, “Excuse me,” or, “Passing on your left,” or use a bell or horn.

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