Education Needed Before Bike Lanes Added in Royal Oak

(Originally posted on Oct. 13, 2016) ROYAL OAK, MI — Of the 26 bicyclists who crashed last year, none was killed. One person was seriously injured, however, and now the city is beginning an effort called "Ride On" to reduce the number of bicycle accidents and increase awareness of rider rights and safety concerns.

“We’re beginning a one-year education program on sharing the road with cyclists,” Judy Davids, the city’s community engagement specialist, told The Daily Tribune.

The project stems from a special City Commission public workshop last week on how to best establish bike lanes in a north-south route through Royal Oak. More than half of the crashes between cyclists and motorists in Royal Oak last year happened in a crosswalk, according to police records.

“They found that most of the time the accidents were the fault of both the cyclist and the motorist,” David said.

Residents will get information about bike lanes, the common causes of accidents, safety reminders, signs and shared traffic and bicycle lanes in their monthly water bills.

» For more on this story, go to The Daily Tribune.

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