HOUSTON – Traffic Expert Anavid Reyes is here with tips on how to keep these cyclists and pedestrians safe.
The Texas Department of Transportation said right now, speeding is a big concern when it comes to drivers, cyclists and pedestrians sharing the road.
”In Houston, speeding and distracted driving are two of the big factors that cause crashes and fatalities,” Matt Deleon with TXDOT said.
Cyclists and pedestrians have a lot of similarities but are considered different groups, so they have separate regulations.
“For example cyclists are allowed to be on the road, they are a vehicle, a lot of their safety concerns are about how can they be more visible because they are a vulnerable user.”
Here’s a break down of the do’s and don’ts:
- Cyclists: Make sure you have bike lights on your bike, compared to just using reflectors.
- Cyclists: Wearing a helmet while riding your bike is the law.
- Pedestrians: If your child is walking to school this year, you’ll want to talk to them about the danger of walking while looking at their phones. It’s not illegal, but it could be a matter of life or death when crossing an intersection.
- Pedestrians: Illegally crossing at an intersection can get you a ticket for that.
- Pedestrians: When there is a sidewalk, use it. If there’s no sidewalk, walk on the left of the road facing traffic. Children under 10 should have an adult with them when walking to school.
Good tip for drivers:
If you find yourself at an intersection with a cyclist in a bike lane and both desire to make a right turn, because the cyclist is the vulnerable user, the driver should wait for the cyclist to make the right turn first.