Full Notification

Police to increase enforcement aimed at bicycle riders and careless motorists

The Newport Beach Police Department is announcing a partnership project with the Huntington Beach Police Department, Laguna Beach Police Department, and the Costa Mesa Police Department. These Police Departments will be conducting a specialized Bicycle Safety Enforcement Operation on February 19th and 24th, 2011. Extra officers will be on duty patrolling areas frequented by bicyclists and vehicles. Officers will be addressing traffic violations made by all vehicle operators, bicyclists, and other vehicle drivers that lead to bicycle vs. vehicle collisions, injuries and fatalities.

The goal of the program is to educate the public about the safe and lawful use of bicycles, as well as the safe and lawful use of vehicles that share the roadways with bicycles. Prevention is a key component of the program, which centers on the traffic laws that can prevent bicycle riders from becoming injured or killed due to illegal use or reckless behavior by bicyclists and vehicles. In addition, the Police Departments involved may be required to enforce obvious violations of the City’s Municipal Code to maintain safe operations.

With more traffic congestion on our city streets and more people turning to bicycles as a transportation alternative, we need to make sure that all road users understand the rules, laws and safe behavior; particularly how bicyclists and motorists share the road.


Primary Traffic Collision Factors for Bicycle and Motorist

Bicycle vs. Motorist:

• 21650.1 CVC – Bicycle must be operated on a roadway or the shoulder of the highway in the same direction as the flow of traffic.

• 22450(a) CVC -Failure to stop at Stop Signs.

• 21453(a) CVC - Failure to stop at Stop Lights.

• 21804 CVC – Yield the right of way to all traffic.


Motorist vs. Bicycle:

• 21801(a) CVC – Failure to yield when turning left.

• 22107 CVC – Unsafe turning movement.

• 21453(a) CVC – Failure to stop at red light.

• 21451(b) CVC – Failure to yield to others lawfully in intersection.

*Reference Source – California Vehicle Code

For additional information, please contact Sergeant, Damon Psaros, at 949-644-3743.