CEMEX USA teamed up with BikeHouston, The League of American Bicyclists and Harris County Pct. 5 Constable’s Office Saturday for an event aimed at increasing safety awareness on the streets by providing cyclists and pedestrians the opportunity to see what is visible from a driver’s perspective.
CEMEX USA employees parked a mixer truck and a cement tanker at the George Bush Park Bike Trail, west of Houston, opening the cabs for participants to climb inside to understand what drivers see when they are on the streets. According to statistics from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, more than 800 cyclists and over 5,000 pedestrians died in crashes with motor vehicles in 2015 with most accidents occurring at intersections.
“Safety is not only the responsibility of the drivers, but of all road users,” said CEMEX USA Executive Vice President – Logistics Matthew Wild. “By working together and continuing an open dialogue, we hope to increase awareness and help cyclists and pedestrians stay safer on the roads.”
Event participants received information urging them to wear reflective clothing and obey traffic laws. Cyclists also were given safety kits that included bicycle headlights with bike mounts, LED reflector flashlights and bike water bottles. Harris County Pct. 5 Constable’s office also opened emergency vehicles, so attendees could get see inside them.
CEMEX USA is investing in safety by adding technology like warning signs on vehicle corners that alert road users to potential dangers, sensors that give road users audio alerts when turn signals are illuminated, and additional mirrors that allow truck drivers to see more areas around their vehicles. In addition, CEMEX drivers participate in continuous training to increase their awareness of cyclists and pedestrians.
CEMEX USA is expected to roll out the program nationally in the coming months so cyclists in other communities can receive the same experience.
