LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Bicyclist Safety Enforcement Week runs from Aug. 7 to Aug. 13. During this week, law enforcement officers will be focused on enforcing Michigan’s bicycle safety laws.
From 2020 to 2022, 103 bicyclists were killed in Michigan, a 64 percent increase from the previous three years.
In 2022, there were 1,340 bicyclist-involved traffic crashes in Michigan.
Law enforcement agencies in several communities have been awarded overtime grants from the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning to address bicyclist injuries and fatalities on the state’s roadways.
The Lansing Police Department will be taking part in the initiative.
The other law enforcement agencies getting involved include the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office, the Chikaming Township Police Department, the Detroit Police Department, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office and the St. Joseph Department of Public Safety.
“Motorists and bicyclists can avoid crashes if they know and follow the rules of the road and watch out for each other. The death of even one bicyclist is one too many,” says Katie Bower, director of the Office of Highway Safety Planning.
Officers will be looking for drivers committing traffic violations that include illegal turns, not stopping at a signal or stop sign, not giving at least three feet when passing a bicyclist and blocking a roadway that interferes with the normal flow of traffic.
Officers will also be looking for bicyclist violations including not riding with traffic, not using lights when biking at night and riding more than two side by side.
For more information about bicyclist safety, visit Office of Highway Safety Planning .
