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Gov. Otter proclaims May 2016 Bicycle and Pedestrian
Safety and Awareness Month

Celebrating the many benefits of bicycling and walking, Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter signed a proclamation yesterday (Thursday, May 26) declaring May 2016 as Idaho's "Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety and Awareness Month."

The proclamation was signed at a 2:30 p.m. ceremony held on the steps of the Idaho Statehouse in Boise. Guest speakers included Gov. Otter, Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) Chief Deputy Scott Stokes, and representatives from the Boise Bicycle Project and the YMCA Safe Routes to School Program.

The proclamation called bicycling "an excellent form of recreation and exercise as well as a viable, environmentally sound form of transportation used by many Idaho families throughout the year."

It went on to state "thousands of Idaho children ride a bike or walk to school daily."

Gov. Otter cited Idaho's road and trail system as attracting "bicyclists each year from across the United States and around the world, providing economic benefits to communities and health and scenic benefits for all."

"I encourage all types of road users to participate in the events planned and urge all motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians to 'Think outside the car,' put distractions down and work together in preventing crashes, saving lives, and making our neighborhoods and streets safe for all road users," he said.

"We need to raise awareness, and promote safer driver behavior and decisions. Even in pedestrian safety, some of our biggest issues are impaired driving, distracted driving and aggressive driving," said ITD Chief Deputy Scott Stokes. "We need to raise awareness of these issues and employ our various resources to improve the culture for our drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians."

On hand for the ceremony was 6-year-old Max Wyatt, who was struck by a car while riding his bicycle last September in Boise. The Treasure Valley's bicycle community worked closely with ITD to add mandatory questions on the Idaho driver's license knowledge exam regarding bicycle and pedestrian safety.

In 2014, nearly all Idaho bicyclists involved with a motor vehicle received some degree of injury, and approximately one in five bicyclists in reported crashes were between the ages of 4 and 14 years old. While there were no bicycle fatalities in 2015, there were eight pedestrian fatalities that year.

ITD considers bicycle and pedestrian concerns in nearly all reconstruction projects.