May is National Bike Month and the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) wants to highlight this designation by urging drivers to share the road with bicyclists.

The DMV also wants to remind motorists that the newly enacted Three Feet for Safety Act requires motorists, traveling in the same direction as bicyclists, to give them three feet of clearance when passing.

After a large decline in bicycle fatalities between 2007 and 2010, the number of deaths has been steadily climbing. In 2013, more than 140 people were killed in bicycle collisions. The DMV is hoping that by raising awareness about bicycle safety, these numbers will begin to go back down.

As part of National Bike Month, the DMV has also teamed up with the Roadway Safety Solutions Team, Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, and the Stanford Health to promote a new campaign called RoadZen. Its aim is to get drivers to think about their behavior when interacting with different users on our roadways and ultimately change their mindset in order to achieve a much calmer and safer road environment. The campaign also encourages bicyclists to follow the rules of the road.

The DMV is promoting this message by providing the public with safety tips and videos, as well as lists of local resources for people who drive and bike. For more information about safely sharing the road, check out these helpful DMV resources: Safety Tips for Bicyclists and Motorists, Bicycle Resources, and an Informational Video.