Grand Rapids Urges Safe Travel For The Summer Season

Press release from the City of Grand Rapids:

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The City of Grand Rapids is reminding everyone about the importance of safe habits when traveling this summer. As the weather warms up and as the pandemic recovery continues, the City is urging residents and visitors to be aware of the increased traffic of all kinds - pedestrians, bicycles, e-scooters, buses, cars and trucks, and to follow key driving and riding safety rules. Whether one chooses to drive, ride or walk it is vital that everyone keeps safety in mind:

• Obey all speed limits, traffic signals, and stop and yield signs.
• Never operate any vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Put away phones and minimize other distractions – focus on your trip.
• Stop for pedestrians at crosswalks.
• Buckle up – always use seat belts, child safety seats and helmets.
• Give people on bicycles and other small vehicles 5 feet of space when passing.
• Always ride, skate and scoot with, not against, the flow of traffic.

For more traffic safety tips, visit the Michigan State Police Safety Tips web page. For more information on bicycle safety and education, visit the GR Driving Change web site.

E-Scooter Safety Rules and Guidelines

This is the first summer for the City’s e-scooter pilot program and the City wants to make sure everyone uses this new mobility option in the safest way possible. A few important safety rules are listed below:

• Always wear a helmet whenever operating a scooter.
• You must be 18 years of age or older to rent and operate a shared e-scooter.
• Never operate an e-scooter under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Only one person per scooter – no doubling up!
• Do not ride on the sidewalk - use the roadway, bicycle lanes and trails, and obey the same rules as a bicyclist.
• Always park e-scooters in Designated Parking Zones between trips.

For more rules and guidelines please visit grandrapidsmi.gov/scooter or spin.app/safety.

Helmets Available

The City of Grand Rapids’ Mobile GR department is partnering with special events and community partners this summer and fall to provide helmets. It is making it a priority to provide helmets to residents who are unable to access one.

Spin, the current e-scooter vendor operating in Grand Rapids, also offers a helmet for $10 (to cover shipping fees) to anyone who correctly completes a safety quiz via the Spin mobile app or on its website. To take the quiz and receive the helmet, please visit spin.app/safety.

This press release was produced by the City of Grand Rapids. The views expressed are the author's own.