Jerseys become flashy roadside symbols for Florida bicyclists enforcing ‘3-foot’ rule

Taking a spin on your bike should be fun, but wrestling with traffic often isn’t.

Last year, 630 bicyclists died on U.S. roadways, accounting for 2% of traffic fatalities in the nation. (For a closer look, read 2008 data on traffic safety released this year by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis.)

Many cyclists are working in their states to push for a “3-foot” rule -- a law that requires motorists to stay at least 3 feet from riders before passing; 15 states already have adopted such laws. See if your state is on the list included in this Biking Bis blog post.

Read the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s report on how some Florida cyclists are publicizing that state’s 3-foot rule in flashy style at “Jerseys remind drivers to give cyclists space.”

For more information on bicycle safety, go to:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Bicycles website

Pedestrian and Bicycling Information Center

--Mary Forgione