discussion-l Mailing List: BikeAthens Discussion: Press Release: Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Teams Up With BikeAthens Through ‘Share the Road’ Tag Grant

[Brent Buice (brent.buice]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Mr. Brent Buice
Executive Director, 
Georgia Bikes!
brent.buice [at] gmail.com, 706-372-9529

Georgia Governor’s 
Office of Highway Safety Teams Up With BikeAthens and Other Bicycling 
Advocacy Organizations Through ‘Share the Road’ Tag Grant

Thanks to the popularity of Georgia’s “Share the Road” specialty license plates, the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) is proud to support statewide and local bicycle advocates in reducing bicycle-related injuries and fatalities in Georgia. GOHS is awarding a $164,000 grant, using funds collected from the specialty plates, to Georgia Bikes!, the statewide bicycling advocacy organization. Partner nonprofits in Atlanta (Atlanta Bicycle Coalition), Athens (BikeAthens), and Savannah (Savannah Bicycle Campaign) will also receive a portion of the grant award. Recipient organizations will use grant funds to engage in comprehensive surveying of motorist and cyclist behaviors and attitudes, to coordinate a statewide media campaign encouraging road sharing and safe cycling behaviors, and to distribute funds to county governments for the installation of “Share the Road” signage and street markings.

According to the 2008 Georgia Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Action Plan, bicycles

comprise less than 
one-quarter of 1% of all traffic related crashes, and yet comprise 6 
times that percentage of traffic fatalities. Over the past five years, 
bicycle crashes have been on the rise in Georgia. More than half of all 
bicycle-related crashes occur in just nine counties (out of 159): 
Chatham, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Muscogee and 
Richmond. Each of these counties experienced at least 100 crashes over a
 three year period (2004 – 2006). In addition to the official crash 
records, surveys conducted by the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition have 
indicated that many incidents go unreported and that nearly half of 
motorists in the metro-Atlanta area are unaware of cyclists' rights and 
how to safely interact with them on the road.

With increasing numbers of cyclists on Georgia’s roads, as recreational riders and as commuters, the Department of Driver Services and the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety recognize the urgent need to reduce bicycle injuries and fatalities in the state. To accomplish this goal, these agencies made available a “Share the Road” specialty license plate. Through the “Share the Road” tag grant, fees collected from these plates will fund: increased awareness of bicycles on the road; programs that improve safety through bicyclist/motorist educational and awareness programs; public safety media campaigns; bicycle safety training and workshops; law enforcement programs; local bicycle advisory committees; the purchase and installation of bicycle signage.

While BikeAthens has coordinated a number local bicycle safety campaigns, there has never been a well-funded, coordinated effort to address driver and cyclist education. This grant will connect existing local campaigns and increase their effectiveness by spreading a cohesive, coherent message to improve bicycle safety across Georgia. BikeAthens Chair Nina Kelly attests that "GOHS funds will increase BikeAthens' capacity for implementing educational and outreach programs to promote safer roads for all users, and BikeAthens looks forward to working with the Athens community to make this happen."

“Thanks to the GOHS “Share the Road” tag grant,” says Georgia Bikes! Executive Director Brent Buice, “bicycling advocates around the state now have a meaningful opportunity to increase safety for all of our road’s users and, hopefully, positively impact the transportation culture of our state.”

    Georgia’s cycling 
advocates and transportation officials will meet to celebrate the 
awarding of the GOHS grant and to discuss strategic plans for outreach 
and education efforts at the first annual Georgia Bike Summit, being 
held in Savannah on October 9, 2010.

For more information, visit:
http://georgiabikes.org
http://georgiabikesummit.org
http://www.atlantabike.org 
http://bikeathens.com
and
http://bicyclecampaign.org

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