NHTSA, CPSC Join To Promote Bicycle Safety

WASHINGTON, D.C.-The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) have signed a memorandum of understanding to improve the safety of bicyclists.

The two federal agencies, both charged with reducing risks of injury and increasing safety awareness, pledged to:

• Establish interagency communication channels for bicycle safety research.
  
  
• Coordinate national, state and local efforts to expand public understanding-of bicycle safety programs, and to conduct cooperative safety activities.
  
  
• Designate liaison officers to expedite bicycle safety activities.

The joint announcement coincides with the beginning of Community Safe Kids Week, May 15-21, a campaign period designated by the National Coalition to Prevent childhood Injury. Both the CPSC and NHTSA participate in Safe Kids activities intended to reduce childhood injuries.

NHTSA noted that more than half of all bicyclist deaths occur to school age children. Males are more than five times as likely to be killed as bicyclists than females. About 10 percent young people, are caused by bicycle crashes. Each year about 1,200 bicyclists are killed and more than half a million bicycle-related injuries are treated in hospital emergency rooms.

CPSC has published safety standards for bicycles and both agencies will encourage the use of safety helmets. According to NHTSA, helmets are now worn by fewer than one out of 10 bicyclists. Helmets might make a dramatic improvement in bicycle safety, the agencies said. CPSC is currently evaluating bicycle helmets to determine their effectiveness.

NHTSA said that many bicycle-car crashes can be avoided by applying the rules of the road and by increased attentiveness by cyclists and motorists. Bicyclists have a legal right to share the road, but they are often not noticed in traffic. Drivers should always keep an eye out for bicyclists when turning, merging, changing lanes, or entering intersections.

May 14-20 is also National Transportation Week, and the month of May has been designated as National Bike Month, the agencies noted.