KALAMAZOO, Mich. — There was a total of 846 bicyclists killed in traffic crashes in 2019, according to the latest data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
While state law says you must pass a bicyclist with your vehicle leaving three feet of room, a city of Kalamazoo ordinance requires a little more than that.
In Kalamazoo, it is required motorists leave five feet of space between them and a bicyclist.
The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety (KDPS) is taking time during Bike Safety Week to educate motorists on the proper distance to pass a bicyclist at.
"Part of it is enforcement for bike safety. We have to make sure that all of our motorists and operators are sharing the roadways with each other," said Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Capt. Scott VanderEnde.
Throughout the week, KDPS is partaking in and hosting a variety of events.
"Part of the enforcement piece is having an operation where we are having bicyclists go around in different neighborhoods in Kalamazoo city and then any motorists that don’t pass using that five-foot distance will be stopped and educated on the ordinance," said Captain VanderEnde.
CHECK THIS OUT: As part of Bike Safety Week, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety is using a new device to educate motorists on the safe & legal distance to pass a bicyclist at.
— Lauren Kummer (@LaurenKummerTV) May 12, 2022
City ordinance says you must leave at least 5 feet of room in between while passing. @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/c3u3hc4K2s
What the enforcement, they're using a device borrowed from a Western Michigan University professor to help determine at what distance vehicles are passing.
"The device is set to five feet, and then it basically sends out a laser as the bicyclist is going down the sidewalk, and then any vehicle that passes it that is within five feet will send an audible, visible alarm to the bicyclist, and then he is going to radio to the officers staged up ahead. Then they will come out and make the traffic stop on the vehicle," said Captain VanderEnde.
During their two operations, one on Tuesday and one on Thursday, each for four-hour periods, officers made a total of 23 stops with several hundreds of cars passing during those times.
Drivers didn't get tickets, though, just educational fliers.
"We really want this to be a yearlong thing to encourage our motorists and riders to share the roadways with each other as part of Kalamazoo’s footprint. We want to be able to have shared roadways with each other, and allow everyone to enjoy this community," said Captain VanderEnde.
As a reminder to bicyclists, some ways to stay safe are making sure to wear bright colors, obeying the rules of the road, use the bike lanes and pay attention to your surroundings.
READ MORE: 11th Kalamazoo-area Bike Week kicks off
