Bicycle Safety Tips
ALWAYS:
• Wear a helmet
• Ride with traffic
• Obey stop signs and lights
• Use a light at night
• Enter the road carefully
• Look and use hand signals before turning
• Keep your bike in good repair

More Bike Safety Information
• Low Cost Helmet Information (PDF file)
• Helmet Fit Sheet (Bilingual PDF file)
• Advocate for improved road and sidewalk conditions by reporting hazards

Mission Street Safety
Two cyclists were killed in 2007 along Mission Street/Highway 1, a primary east/west route through Santa Cruz. The cyclists were ages 25 and 29, and both collisions involved commercial trucks. A Mission St. Safety Task Force was convened by Assemblyman Laird to develop solutions and increase safety along this corridor. The CTSC and member organizations participated in the safety task force, developing flyers for commercial drivers and cyclists as well as public service announcements (PSAs). Click below to download flyers directed to both cyclists and commercial drivers on safely Sharing the Road.

Sharing the Road Safely with Trucks and Buses (English)
Sharing the Road Safely with Trucks and Buses (Spanish)
Bicycle Safety Info for Commercial Drivers

Pedestrian Safety Tips
ALWAYS:
• Pay attention
• Obey traffic signals
• Cross at corners
• Stand back from the curb
• Look left, right, and left again
• Listen and look for cars as you approach each traffic lane

Community members can report needed sidewalk repairs and access issues using this online hazard reporting system. The report will be directed to the appropriate public works department.

Motorist Safety Tips
ALWAYS:
• Stop for pedestrians trying to cross
• Watch for pedestrians and bicyclists
• Obey the speed limit
• Check for bicyclists before turning or changing lanes
• Watch for bicyclists when opening your door
• Slow down and allow at least three feet of space when passing a bicyclist

Read the latest information on Cell Phones and Teen Drivers.

Child Passenger Safety
As children grow, how they sit safely in a car, truck, van or SUV changes. For maximum child passenger safety, parents and caregivers need to remember and follow the 4 Steps for Kids:

• Use rear-facing infant seats in the back seat from birth to at least one year of age and at least 20 pounds;
• Use forward-facing toddler seats in the back seat when child reaches the upper weight or height limit of the rear-facing convertible seat, to 40 pounds or to the upper weight/height limit of forward-facing seat;
• Use booster seats in the back seat when child has outgrown the harness-style safety seat, usually at about 4 years old, until child fits properly into the safety belt only (about eight years old or 4'9" tall);
• Use safety belts in the back seat when child passes the "5-step safety test" (see weblinks below).

Boosters Are for Big Kids (English)
Boosters Are for Big Kids (Spanish)

There are several locations where parents can have their car seat installed or inspected. Here is a list of Childhood Safety Seat Inspection Sites (PDF file) in Santa Cruz County.

Safe Routes to School
This program, supported by the Coalition since 1999, is aimed at increasing safe walking and bicycling to school. Safe Routes to School gives children the opportunity to be more active, decreasing the risk of obesity in children.

Maps have been created in North County for:
• Branciforte Elementary School
• Bay View Elementary
• Westlake Elementary (Bicycle)
• Westlake Elementary (Pedestrian)
• DeLaveaga Elementary

In South County maps have been created for:
• Minite White Elementary
• McQuiddy Elementary

Upcoming Safe Routes to School activities may include:
• Identification of safe bicycle and pedestrian routes
• Advocacy for infrastructure improvements
• Parent education and outreach
• Organizing walk pools, bike pools, 'walking school buses' or 'bike trains'
• Promotion of parent bicycle helmet use
• Participating in Walk and Bike to School Day

Statistics

New Bicycle Safety Data

2012 Bicycle Observation Survey (PDF file)

2010 Bicycle State of the County Report (PDF file)

Bicyclist Statistics

New Pedestrian Safety Data

2011 Pedestrian Observation Survey (PDF file)

2009 Pedestrian State of the County Report (PDF file)

The data above was tabulated from the California Highway Patrol's Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System.

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