Culver City Observer -

May is National Bicycle Safety Month. The Culver City Police Department encourages drivers to slow down when passing bicyclists and asks bicyclists to be visible, predictable, and safe on the road.

"Please share the road with bicyclists and try to imagine them as your closest friends or family. We all want to get where we need to go safely, whether that is in the car or on a bike," Acting Police Chief Cid said.

The Culver City Police Department offers the following safety tips:

Drivers

• Slow down.

• Wait for a safe place to pass when driving behind a bike, especially on narrow roads.

• California law requires drivers to provide at least three feet of space between a vehicle and bicycle when passing.

• If making a right turn, assume any bicyclist approaching the intersection is traveling straight through, unless they signal otherwise.

• When making a left turn, yield to oncoming bicyclists just as you would for other drivers.

• Look for bicyclists before opening a car door.

• Never drive distracted or impaired.

Bike Riders

• Be predictable, safe and seen. Obey traffic laws, use hand signals, use lights at night (front white light and rear red reflector/light), and wear a helmet.

• Bicyclists must travel on the road in the same direction as vehicle traffic and must follow the same requirements as any slow-moving vehicle.

• Avoid the door zone: do not ride too closely to parked cars.• If there's a bike lane, use it, unless making a left turn, passing, or approaching a place where a right turn is allowed.

• Yield to pedestrians. Bicyclists must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians within marked crosswalks or within unmarked crosswalks at intersections.

Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.