Bike light and reflective gear distribution

The City of Santa Cruz Street Smarts program offers cyclists and pedestrians traffic safety education, bike lights and pedestrian reflective gear at “Be Safe Be Seen” events and booths.

Four pop-up bike safety events are planned after dusk along high traffic cycling routes to provide free bike lights and education to Santa Cruz bicyclists in need. Those riding in the City without lights will be outfitted with bright rechargeable 5-LED flat chip front lights and 5-LED red rear lights with 180 degree visibility.

Street Smarts also plans to host “Be Safe, Be Seen” pedestrian safety booths at events including Friday in Midtown, Nov. 27 at West Cliff Market and Dec. 3 at First Friday Abbott Square. Booths will include activities for youth, education and reflective items to help pedestrians be seen at night.

The bike safety events aim to help make cycling safer by providing more visibility to cyclists at night. Without lights, a person on a bicycle is nearly invisible in the dark. Cyclists who ride unilluminated are a danger to themselves as well as to pedestrians and other road users. Whether people are simply unaware or they cannot afford lights, the Santa Cruz Street Smarts program aims to help them become safe and seen. A white front headlight and rear red reflector are required under California law.

Similarly, as the days get shorter, Street Smarts pedestrian safety outreach aims to help improve the visibility of those walking or jogging in the dark.

Street Smarts mission is to reduce the number of traffic-related crashes and injuries throughout the County of Santa Cruz. The City of Santa Cruz Street Smarts campaign expanded to a regional program in August 2019.

“Be Safe, Be Seen” funding was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

More information is available at cityofsantacruz. com/StreetSmarts.