San Mateo Police Remind Drivers To Remain Alert Of Cyclists

SAN MATEO, CA — The San Mateo Police Department are reminding drivers and bike riders to follow some safety tips as part of May’s National Bicycle Safety Month, while after a man died Wednesday in Atherton while riding his bike.

In 2022, there were 1,105 people killed while riding their bikes and an estimated 46,195 were injured, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

On Wednesday, Dylan Taylor, a local teacher and coach, was killed when a garbage truck crashed into him on Middleton Road in Atherton.

SMPD have provided some tips for both drivers and bike riders to stay alert:

Drivers

• Drive at the speed limit and use caution at intersections.
• Be alert for bicyclists and pedestrians when turning or opening car doors near streets or bike paths.
• California law mandates drivers to change lanes when feasible and maintain at least 3 feet of space when passing bicyclists. Be patient and give bicyclists ample space.
• Never drive distracted or impaired.

Bike riders

• Use lights at night.
• Always wear a secured helmet, even if you are over 18. Helmets greatly lower the risk of head injuries if you crash.
• Bicyclists must travel with traffic and follow the same rules as slow-moving vehicles.
• Pedestrians in marked or unmarked crosswalks at intersections have the right-of-way, so yield to them as drivers would.