Maryland Safe Routes to School Program Recognizes Bike to School Day Participants

Via Southern Maryland New Net

Hundreds of Maryland Students Participating in National Bike to School Day, Wednesday, May 6; Drivers Urged to Be Aware of Increased Bicycling Activity around Schools

SHABike to School Day events on Wednesday, May 6 raise awareness for the need to create safer routes for bicycling and walking, as well as the health and environmental benefits of biking. The Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) praises schools who will participate in National Bike to School Day and urges drivers to be alert for bicyclists around schools during arrival and dismissal times. Several Maryland schools will host events, supported by Maryland’s Safe Routes to School program, which provides funding to support walking, and bicycling to and from elementary and middle schools.
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For drivers:

• Expect bicyclists on the road and share the road.
• Stay vigilant at all times, especially when pulling out of driveways or side streets.
• Always follow the speed limit, which may be lowered in designated school zones.
• Pass bicyclists with at least three feet of space – it’s the law.
• Leave plenty of space between you and the bicyclist in front of you.
• Before turning, make sure the path is clear of bicyclists.

For children walking and biking to school:

• Obey the rules of the road, including traffic signals and stop signs.
• On a bike, ride with traffic but walk on the sidewalk facing ongoing traffic.
• Wear a helmet – it’s the law for anyone under age 16, but everyone should to prevent head injury.
• Wear reflective material…it makes you more visible to drivers.
• Walk your bike across intersections.
• Use hand signals.
• When walking, use crosswalks and follow pedestrian signal indicators.

http://smnewsnet.com/archives/288139/maryland-safe-routes-to-school-program-recognizes-bike-to-school-day-participants/

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[B' Spokes: "Walk your bike across intersections." ??? Maybe that's good advice for small children just starting to bike but I have yet to see any compelling evidence that being a pedestrian is "safer" then being a cyclist in this state (our pedestrian traffic fatalities make up a higher percentage of traffic fatalities than the national average.) But more than that SHA is setting this up to give everyone the impression that ALL bikes must be walked across the intersection at all times and that is just wrong. There is no legal bases for this statement and certainly no study that shows that this is indeed good advice.]