This is Bicyclist Safety Enforcement Week and drivers and bicyclists alike should be on the lookout for extra law enforcement. The heightened focus runs from August 7 to 13 and officers will be focused on enforcing Michigan’s bicycle safety laws — raising awareness with drivers and bicyclists alike.
Berrien County Undersheriff Chuck Heit reminds everyone that there are rules to follow. Stopping at stop signs; riding on the right side of the road; using turn signals and proper lighting when its dark.
“It’s really just an awareness of each other. Sometimes people get impatient and I get that. But you know, we’re just trying to prevent the tragedies that have happened across the state of Michigan over the last three years,” said Heit.
Recently released crash data shows an alarming rise in the number of bicyclist-related fatalities on Michigan roadways over the last three years. From 2020 to 2022, 103 bicyclists were killed in Michigan, a 64 percent over the previous three-year period.
Berrien County is one of several agencies awarded an overtime grant from the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) to address bicyclist injuries and fatalities on the state’s roadways.
Area participating law enforcement agencies are the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office, Chikaming Township Police Department, and the St. Joseph Department of Public Safety.
“We continue to see a rise in bicycle-involved crashes in many communities across the state,” said Katie Bower, director of the OHSP. “Bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as motorized vehicles. Motorists and bicyclists can avoid crashes if they know and follow the rules of the road and watch out for each other. The death of even one bicyclist is one too many.”
