Neighbor News
Good Samaritan Hospital's 13th West Coast Blessing of the Bicycles
Good Samaritan Hospital is hosting its 13th Annual West Coast Blessing of the Bicycles to increase awareness about bicycle safety.
Good Samaritan Hospital is hosting its 13th Annual West Coast Blessing of the Bicycles to increase awareness about bicycle safety on Tuesday, May 17 from 8 a.m. to 9:30am at Good Samaritan Hospital’s entrance, located at 616 S. Witmer Street in Los Angeles. The non-denominational event will feature religious leaders from different faiths who will impart blessings in the service for cyclists to continue their safe ride to and from work and/or school as well as the Los Angeles Police Department Rampart Division Bicycle Detail Unit. Attendees will also participate in the commemorative “Missing Bicyclist” lap around the hospital’s campus saluting those injured and killed in bicycle accidents. All participants will receive a free bicycle safety check.
According to the most recent report from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 743 cyclists were killed and an estimated 48,000 injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2013. Pedalcyclist deaths accounted for two percent of all motor vehicle traffic fatalities and injured pedal cyclists made up two percent of the people injured in traffic crashes during the year.
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Below are some more general conclusions and trends according to the NHTSA:
- The number of cyclists killed in 2013 is 1 percent higher than the 734 cyclists killed in 2012.
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- The increase in 2013 is the third straight increase in pedalcyclist fatalities, a 19-percent increase since 2010.
Bicyclists are considered vehicle operators and they are required to obey the same rules of the road as other vehicle operators, including obeying traffic signs, signals, and lane markings. When cycling in the street, cyclists must ride in the same direction as traffic.
Drivers of motor vehicles need to share the road with bicyclists. Be courteous – allow at least three feet of clearance when passing a bicyclist on the road, look for cyclists before opening a car door or pulling out from a parking space, and yield to cyclists at intersections and as directed by signs and signals. Be especially watchful for cyclists when making turns, either left or right.
For more information, please visit www.goodsam.org.