Santa Cruz Street Smarts Program Hosts Four Pop-Up Bike Light Giveaways In November

Press release from the City of Santa Cruz:

November 9, 2020

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — The City of Santa Cruz Street Smarts program has teamed up with Bike Santa Cruz County to distribute free front and rear bike lights to Santa Cruz bicyclists in need. They will host four pop-up bike light giveaways in November to help make cycling safer by providing more visibility to bicyclists at night. The events will occur after dusk at undisclosed high traffic bike commute locations in the City of Santa Cruz.

Without lights, a person on a bicycle is nearly invisible in the dark. Cyclists who ride unilluminated are a danger to themselves as well as to pedestrians and other road users. Whether people are simply unaware or they cannot afford lights, the Santa Cruz Street Smarts program aims to help them become safe and seen. Lightless riding before dawn and after sunset is also a ticketable offense under California law.

Following Covid-19 County protocol, City and Bike Santa Cruz County staff aided by community volunteers will outfit bicyclists riding without lights with free sets of bright 5-LED flat chip front lights and 5-LED red rear lights with 180 degree visibility. All cyclists must wear a mask to participate.

As the November days get shorter, these pop-up bike light giveaways are part of the Street Smarts mission to reduce the number of traffic-related crashes and injuries throughout the County of Santa Cruz and City of Monterey. The City of Santa Cruz Street Smarts campaign expanded to a regional program in August 2019. More information is available at www.cityofsantacruz.com/StreetSmarts.

Bike Santa Cruz County is a Street Smarts partner that promotes bicycling through advocacy, education, and community building. More information is available atwww.bikesantacruzcounty.org.

This press release was produced by the City of Santa Cruz. The views expressed here are the author’s own.