National Bicycle Safety Awareness Month has arrived, and city officials are reminding motorcyclists and bicyclists alike, to stay safe and share the road carefully.

The California Highway Patrol has set up activities all throughout the month of May to promote safety, including safety rodeos and educational presentations. These activities are planned to keep both the cyclists and the drivers safe.

“Whether you are driving a car or motorcycle, walking or bicycling, it is important to remember that the road belongs to everyone,” said CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley in a statement. “Regardless of a person’s mode of transportation, we all have a responsibility to know and follow the law.”

The rules of the road are similar for bicycles and cars. Both must stop at stop signs, signal turns, yield to pedestrians, drive while not under the influence or with any distractions and bicyclists must pull off the roadway is five or more cars are lined up behind them.

Fifty percent of bicycle deaths are caused by head injuries, according to the University of California, Davis Trauma Prevention Program.

California law only requires riders under the age of 18 to wear a helmet on a bicycle.

Over the past five years 738 bicyclists were killed in collisions and 61,000 were injured, according to data from the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System. The data also shows that the main causes of these incidents are improper turning and bicycling under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

“Bicycle Safety Month is a great occasion for Californians, whether out with friends, family, or on their own, to strap on a helmet, hop on a bike, and see just how fun and welcoming our streets and bike paths have become,” said Rhonda Craft, director of the office of traffic safety. “Californians now see biking as a real transportation option. The key is to ensure that biking is safe for everyone.”

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