MnDOT warns cyclists, motorists to be aware

As the weather gets warmer the Minnesota Department of Transportation is warning motorists and bicyclists to be aware of each other and share the road.

The agency says that between 2008 and 2012, 44 bicyclists died on Minnesota roads while almost 4,600 were injured. More than half the deaths and injuries occurred between June and September.

MnDOT traffic engineer Sue Groth says motorists must treat bicyclists as they would any vehicle. She says bicycles must respond acting like any vehicle. That means stopping at stop signs and traffic lights, signaling turns and keeping visible.

Bicycle crashes most frequently occur during afternoon rush hours and most often in cities bigger than 50,000 people. Three-fourths of bicyclists killed or injured are men, and one-third are between the ages of 15 and 24.

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