Virginia Cycling and Pedestrian Awareness Week (2009)

Virginia Cycling and Pedestrian Awareness Week

WHEREAS,  increasing numbers of people look to cycling and walking as an alternate mode of transportation, for reasons including improved environmental and personal health, reduced traffic congestion, enhanced quality of life, economic rewards, as well as others; and

WHEREAS,  many modes of transportation, including cars, sport utility vehicles, trucks, commercial motor vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians all share the same roadways; and

WHEREAS,  a bicycle is considered a vehicle in Virginia and has the same duties and rights as motor vehicles on the road, including obeying all traffic signs, signals, lights and markings; and

WHEREAS,  pedestrians also have rights and duties and must travel against traffic, use sidewalks whenever available, and use marked crossings whenever possible; and

WHEREAS,  motorists and cyclists must yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, both marked and unmarked, when making a right turn on red, or as instructed by law enforcement or traffic control devices; and

WHEREAS,  in 2008, 90 people died walking or cycling on our Virginia roadways, and in addition, 716 cyclists and 1,696 pedestrians were injured; and

WHEREAS,  one of the most effective ways to improve safety on our roadways is through education, understanding the obligations and responsibilities of road use, and by respecting all road users; and

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Timothy M. Kaine, do hereby recognize September 13-20, 2009 as VIRGINIA CYCLING AND PEDESTRIAN AWARENESS WEEK, in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.