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| Program Manager |
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Julie Yip
Phone: 503 986-4196
FAX: 503 986-3143
ODOT - Transportation Safety Division
235 Union Street NE
Salem, OR 97301-1054
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| Program Introduction |
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Goal
"Reduce bicyclists killed and injured in motor vehicle crashes from 708, the 5 year average from 2003 to 2007 to 555, a 3 % reduction per year by 2015".
Bicyclist Safety: Encourages bicyclist safety through:
- Public information program
- Information and education programs for targeted audiences
- School presentations
- Law Enforcement Training
Performance Measures
- Reduce bicyclists injured in motor vehicle crashes from the 2004-2007 average level of 700 to 658. A reduction of 3% per year by December 31, 2009. This includes all reported bicyclists injured where an age was not stated.
- Reduce the number of bicyclists age 0-19 injured in motor vehicle crashes from 2007 level of 166 to 156. A reduction of 6% or fewer by December 31, 2009.
- Reduce bicyclists age 20+ injured in motor vehicle crashes from the 2007 level of 395 to 371. A reduction of 6% or fewer by December 31, 2009.
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| Questions and Answers |
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Q: Is there an Oregon law that addresses bicycle trailers and safety standards?
A: There is currently no Oregon law that governs the safety of bicycle trailers. However, there is interest this year as Senate Bill 846 has been introduced into the current Oregon legislative session, sponsored by Senator Floyd Prozanski, that seeks to establish minimum safety standards for bike trailers in use in Oregon.
Without Oregon law specifying safety standard guidelines, parents should be looking at manufacturer statements that their product has been designed based on the standards developed by respected test laboratories for non-powered trailers pulled behind bicycles for transport. As an example, http://burley.com website has information about trailer safety and testing for their products.
One set of standards for bicycle trailers has been developed by ASTM International, ASTM F1975 -09, Standard Specification for Nonpowered Bicycle Trailers Designed for Human Passengers. The following is the abstract from the ASTM website:
“This specification covers non-powered trailers intended to be pulled behind bicycles to transport one or two children with accessory loads with a prescribed maximum weight. It includes methods for strength, impact drop, structural integrity in rollover, tip-over resistance, single-occupant trailer, double-occupant trailer, coupling security, and system fatigue tests. The tests confirm that this specification is satisfied. The specification also prescribes colors, reflectors, and flags for conspicuity.”
ASTM’s standards are used worldwide to improve product quality, enhance safety, facilitate market access and trade, and build consumer confidence.
Parents may also benefit from reviewing respected consumer guides, such as ConsumerReports.org. They have a very good online report on bike trailer buying advice. http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/babies-kids/baby-toddler/bike-trailers/bike-trailer-buying-advice/bike-trailer-getting-started/bike-trailer-getting-started.htm
Their recommendation is not to purchase a bike trailer or bike seat until the baby is at least 1 year old. “We don’t recommend bike trailers and bike seats for children younger than that because they may not be physically equipped to withstand the forces they’ll be exposed to when riding in them. Children younger than a year old can’t support their heads properly while wearing a helmet, as all riders should.”
Also, parents should follow the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding the maximum weight, and recommended use of the trailer.
Q: At what age must children wear a helmet when riding a bicycle?
A: Regarding bike helmet use, ORS 814.485 requires a person under16 years of age to wear protective headgear when riding as an operator or rider of a bicycle on a roadway or on premises open to the public. The protective headgear must be the type approved under ORS 815.052, which are helmets for bicyclists that are labeled certifying compliance with U.S. CPSC standards. Oregon law does not specify a minimum age for when bicycle helmets are required to be worn.
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