San Mateo County Grand Jury
• 2023-2024
Bike Safety in San Mateo County Making Bicycling Safer in the County Release Date: July 10, 2023
⚠️ Aviso de traducción: Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings 9 findings
F1
Page 18
Bicycle policy and the approach to ensuring/improving bicycle safety is not consistent across San Mateo County due, at least in part, to: a. Topography b. Urban vs. suburban environments c. Types of bicyclists (commuter, recreational) d. Varying levels of enforcement of bicycle laws e. Differing knowledge of bicycle laws and safe practices.
F2
Page 18
Bicycle ridership as an alternative means of transportation (e.g., commuting to work, school, or transit hubs, running errands) is not increasing due, at least in part, to perceived safety issues.
F3
Page 18
Bicycle accidents and incidents (such as near misses) are underreported, if reported at all.
F4
Page 18
Only bicycle accidents or incidents that trigger a 911 call are consistently logged in the State (SWITRS) database and law enforcement agencies do not log bicycle accident data consistently.
F5
Page 18
The amount of enforcement of laws, as they pertain to bicyclists and how motorists and bicyclists interact, is inconsistent due to other priorities (e.g., criminal enforcement and general automobile traffic) and the requirement that a citation can generally only be written if the violation is witnessed by an officer.
F6
Page 18
There is no official metric in San Mateo County and its cities to evaluate how safe it is to ride a bicycle.
F7
Page 18
Bicycle safety education, for the bicyclist, pedestrians and motorists, is not consistently offered across San Mateo County.
F8
Page 18
Communication between various entities with responsibility for bicycle safety, including Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committees (BPACs), Law Enforcement, City Transportation Planning, and Public Works departments, is not formalized, resulting in inefficiencies, and missed opportunities (e.g., funding for improvements, shared bike safety education, or improving signage).
F9
Page 19
City Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plans or Active Transportation Plans, have not been adopted/created by all SMC cities.
Recommendations 7
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R1Page 19By December 2023, all law enforcement agencies and the County Sheriff should submit bicycle related data to SWITRS monthly, and regularly post and update their websites with all reported bicycle accident data.
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R2Page 19By December 2023, all law enforcement agencies should begin sending warning letters to motorists for violations of the 3 ft. law.
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R3Page 19By June 3, 2024, all law enforcement agencies should provide a means for citizens to report bicycle-related incidents that are not currently reported to law enforcement, similar to the SMC Sheriff’s Department Online Crime Reporting portal.
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R4Page 19By June 3, 2024 each city, town, and unincorporated SMC should offer a bike safety education program for riders and motorists about the laws and safety facts related to bicycles on the road.
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R5Page 19By June 3, 2024, each city, town, and unincorporated SMC should update or generate a new Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan (or Active Transportation Plan) if their current plan is older than five years; consistent with the 2021 C/CAG San Mateo County Comprehensive Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan.
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R6Page 19By June 3, 2024, each city, town, and the county should apply (or reapply) online to generate the Bicycle Friendly Community Report Card.
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R7Page 19By February 1, 2024, the County should meet with cities within the County that are willing to participate, to consider establishing a regional effort that integrates the cities’ bicycle plans and to discuss how the cities and County could work together to apply for grant opportunities as a region.
No Responses Found 1
Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.
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