Howard County officials urged drivers to share the roads in a press conference Tuesday, June 21, announcing the launch of StreetSmart, a campaign focused on reducing accidents involving bicyclists and pedestrians on area roads.
According to Darrell Mobley, deputy secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation, there are about 500 accidents between cars and bicycles in the Baltimore region a year, on average. That's down from 650 such accidents seven years ago, but officials said they would like to see the figures continue to decrease. The region averages about 1,700 accidents between pedestrians and vehicles annually. Out of those bicycle- and pedestrian-related accidents, about 52 are fatalities.
"These deaths are completely preventable," Mobley said. Officials urged pedestrians to use crosswalks, stay visible and look both ways before crossing the street. They said drivers should slow down, stop for pedestrians, avoid cell phone use and stay alert. Maryland law requires cars to give bicyclists at least three feet of space when passing them on the road.
Chief of Howard County Police William McMahon said police would be out "in full force" to ensure that drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians alike were following traffic laws. He said he hoped that StreetSmart's educational component would help reduce the need for enforcement.
County executive Ken Ulman said the county also needed to prioritize pedestrian and bicycle safety in its future projects. "We have a community that was built for the automobile," he said. "It was not designed for bicyclists. We've got to make sure that as we redevelop, we are putting the priority on pedestrian and bicycle safety."