Action Alert: Ask Congress to support the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Act

A bill has been introduced in Congress to improve bike/ped safety.  Please ask our congressional delegation to support the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Act!

This year has been a particularly deadly one for pedestrians and cyclists in Lee County, with pedestrian deaths increasing daily at an alarming rate.  So far in 2013, there have been 20 men and women killed while walking on our streets, along with 3 cyclists killed--the deadliest year since 2007.  (See BWL's recent blog story on rising pedestrian and cyclist fatalities.)

Clearly, more needs to be done at all levels of government to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

Last week, a coalition of bi­partisan House lawmakers introduced the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Act, which will require the U.S. Department of Transportation to set specific safety targets for all
roadway users ­­ not just motorists, but pedestrians and bicyclists, too.

The legislation gives US DOT the flexibility to determine the best method to meet these safety
measures, and calls on our leaders to reduce the number of people biking and walking who are killed
or injured on our streets every year.

A simple safety measure, this bill says clearly that the lives of all roadway users are important and creates accountability toward ending needless deaths.

​Without a specific performance measure to focus on nonmotorized safety, bicyclists and pedestrians will remain firmly in the blindspot of traffic safety.

The United States should have a national goal to reduce the number of bicyclists and pedestrians killed on our roadways.

Please ask Senators Nelson and Rubio and Representative Radel to co-sponsor HR 3494/S 1708 to institute a nonmotorized safety performance measure.

The League of American Bicyclists (one of BikeWalkLee's national partners), has made it easy to take action. Click here to take action today--it only takes 30 seconds. Thanks!