“Walk Smart” campaign includes bike safety

Maryland and Ocean City officials announced an expansion on the city’s “Walk Smart” campaign Tuesday, which now includes bicycle safety.

The original campaign was first launched in 2013 after two pedestrian crash fatalities were reported in Ocean City in 2012, plus an increase in pedestrian injuries. Signs used to educate the public are a big part of the campaign, along with actual infrastructure improvements like better crosswalks.

Two years later, city police say there have been zero pedestrian fatalities but there’s a new challenge they are tackling this year: bicycle crashes.

The State Highway Administration reports there were more than 30 crashes in 2014. According to Ocean City Police Captain Kevin Kirstein, one of the biggest problems is cyclists running red lights.

“The other big issue we see…a lot of people don’t understand this, and that’s where we talk about education on a bicycle or in a motor vehicle for that matter…in Maryland, you cannot ride with both ears covered by earphones.” Explains Captain Kirstein.

According to Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan, the town welcomes 200,000 new visitors every week. He says many of them are  younger and more apt to use social media, which is why the campaign’s continued efforts to educate the public with multiple forms of media is so important.

“We have to tap into everybody. Younger adults are going to see that. They’re going to follow social media, they’re going to get those messages.” Says Mayor Meehan. “When a banner plane goes by on the beach, everybody right there. It’s a captive audience. Those are the type of things we have to do to make sure we teach everybody.”

The State Highway Administration reports investing more than 1.5 million dollars in education and engineering improvements along state owned roadways in Ocean City.