From dirt biking to hitting country roads, cyclists are making tracks all over Butler County.

According to a recent Associated Press story, bicycles continue to spin out of stores in record numbers.

In March 2020, people began purchasing bicycles at the beginning of the pandemic. A year later, the industry continues to see an increase in sales — to the point where manufacturers are struggling to supply bikes, experts said.

While driving was declining last year, bicycle and e-bike sales were rising as well as the popularity of cycling as a socially-distanced means of travel and exercise. Between January and October 2020, bicycle sales increased 62% in the United States over the prior year, and e-bikes saw an even greater increase in sales: up 144% year over year, according to the market research firm, NPD Group Inc., Port Washington, N.Y., which monitors retail sales trends.

With more bikes on the roads, it’s time to think twice about safety and sharing the road.

According to AAA, nationally, bicyclists killed in crashes with vehicles increased 36% from 2010 to 2018 with most of them occurring among male riders 20 years and older, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Additionally, more than 48,000 cyclists are injured in roadway crashes each year.

We applaud the healthy lifestyle choice of biking but encourage bike safely on public roads.

May is bicycle safety month, reminding drivers and cyclists, to also be watchful, according to Lynda Lambert, safety advisory and media spokesperson for AAA East Central.

AAA East Central recommends that motorists stay alert and avoid distractions, to yield to bicyclists when turning, give the riders extra passing room, provide at least three feet of clearance when passing and to check for bicyclists before opening a car door.

For bicyclists, ride on the roadway or shared pathways, rather than on sidewalks; follow the same rules of the road as other roadway users, including riding in the same direction as traffic and following all the same traffic signs and signals; signal all turns; and wear a bicycle helmet every time and on every ride. Nearly all bicyclists who died from a collision were not wearing helmets.

Let’s all stay safe and be watchful on the roads.

— AA