Prince George, BC – ICBC is out with some safety reminders to both cyclists and motorists in advance of the start of Bike-to-Work Week tomorrow…

On average, 30 cyclists are injured and one is killed in the North Central region between May and October every year.

The BC Association of Chiefs of Police is reminding drivers and cyclists to do their part to share the roads safely.  "During Bike-to-Work Week, we're asking drivers and cyclists to follow the rules of the road and make the right choices to help prevent crashes," says the association's Traffic Safety Committee Chair, Neil Dubord.  "As a driver, leave at least three seconds following distance between your vehicle and a cyclist and make sure you understand the hand signals cyclists use."

"As a cyclist, wear a helmet regardless of how far you're travelling to protect yourself from serious injury and ride predictably to help drivers anticipate your next move."

ICBC's tips for cyclists include:

• plan your route before you set off, give yourself plenty of time and choose bike lanes and paths whenever possible
• it is illegal to cycle on most sidewalks or in crosswalks
• ride at least one metre away from parked vehicles to avoid being hit by an opening door or a vehicle pulling into your lane from the curb
• always wear a helmet – it's the law in BC

Some tips for motorists:

• actively watch for cyclists on the road and make eye contact whenever possible to let them know you see them
• always shoulder check to look for cyclists before turning right and watch for oncoming cyclists before turning left – if you need to cross a bike lane to turn right or pull to the side of the road, signal well in advance and yield to cyclists
• leave at least three seconds following distance as cyclists may react quickly and unexpectedly to avoid hazards on the road

Across the province, an average of 160 cyclists are injured every month between May and October.