Columbia police begin bicycle safety campaign

After a month of enforcing pedestrian laws, Columbia police are turning their attention to bicyclists.

Thursday night kicked off CPD’s Bicycle Safety Campaign.

Officers will be out ensuring cyclists are following the rules of the road, giving warnings Thursday night and tickets after that. They’ll also be making sure drivers are following the laws, especially related to keeping bicyclists safe.

They want to remind bicyclists to follow the rules of the road. That includes riding with the flow of traffic, obeying all stop signs and traffic signals, and not riding on sidewalks. Also, all children under 15 must wear a helmet at all times.

Officers will also be giving free lights away to any bicycle not properly equipped with a front and a back light.

After two bicyclists died in accidents last year, officers said this campaign is good for educating the public to keep them safe.

“We’re all in this together and at the end of the day, we all want to get home safely. Bicyclists and motorists, we have to work together to stay safe,” Officer Scott Decker said.