Media Advisory

ALBANY, NY (07/06/2008)(readMedia)-- --

WHAT: Cycling the Erie Canal 2008

WHEN: Monday, July 7, 2008, 2 to 5 p.m.

WHERE: Nazareth College, Pittsford, N.Y.

WHO: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner David J. Swarts and hundreds of bicyclists from across the country.

CONTACT: (DMV) 518-473-7000

Some 500 cyclists from across the country are completing the second leg of the 10th annual Cycling the Erie Canal bicycle tour, an eight-day, 400-mile event that began in Buffalo and ends Sunday in Albany.

DMV Commissioner Swarts, who is also Chair of the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee, has been an avid bicyclist for many years, and has been looking forward to participating in the Erie Canal tour. He is also using the ride to remind cyclists and motorists about bicycle safety.

In 2006, there were 45 fatalities involving bicycle-motor vehicle crashes, and more than 5,000 bicyclists were injured in such crashes. Commissioner Swarts wants to use the kickoff of the Erie Canal bike tour to reinforce the need for bicyclists to understand the laws and how to ride safely, and for motorists to understand that cyclists have the same rights and drivers of motor vehicles.

Trail riding is not immune to the possibility of crashes with motorized vehicles. Unless a trail is self-contained within a park or other facility, most trails will inevitably cross over or intersect in some manner with roadways. And as the number of trails increases and more and more people of all age and skill levels use them, the risks associated with road and trail intersections will continue to grow.

The Cycling the Erie Canal 2008 event is an opportune time to ensure that cyclists and motorists alike are aware of the potential dangers at trail-roadway crossings and how to safely negotiate these intersections.

THE MEDIA IS ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND THIS EVENT

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