Skye Canyon kicked off the season of giving by presenting the Southern Nevada Bicycle Coalition (SNVBC) with a $15,000 donation that includes the use of a billboard to raise awareness of non-profit’s More Space! Keep it Safe, Nevada public awareness campaign. The goal of More Space! is to educate the public on Nevada’s 3-Feet Passing law and to achieve zero collisions between motorists and cyclists, creating safer roads in Las Vegas. The presentation was on Giving Tuesday, November 28 at Skye Center.
Chris Armstrong, Olympia Companies senior VP and an avid cyclist, presented the donation to Keely Brooks, president of the SNVBC. More Space! supporters from the Nevada Department of Transportation, Three Feet for Pete, and Starved Raccoon and other local cyclists were also in attendance.
Skye Canyon is passionate about cycling and decided to donate to the SNVBC on Giving Tuesday after learning about recent bicycling accident statistics. Across the country, highway accidents decreased last year, but car accidents with bicyclists increased with 840 bicyclists killed, the highest number in 25 years. Las Vegas has the third highest bicycling fatalities per capita according to the National Highway Safety Administration. As of this month, Clark County is above the annual average with five bicycling fatalities.
“The More Space! initiative was created to save lives, and gifts like the one from Skye Canyon make it possible for the Coalition to do that,” said Brooks.
In fact, the billboard donation will help the group reach more than 2 million motorists per month.
Funds donated will be used to educate drivers of Nevada’s 3-Feet Passing law (NRS 484B.270) that went into effect on October 1, 2011. Still, many drivers are unaware of the law that states motorists passing a bicycle must move into an adjacent lane to the left. If that is not possible, the motorist must pass giving the bicyclist at least three feet of space. Motorists may be charged with reckless driving if they are at-fault in any collision with a bicyclist.
Skye Canyon is a proponent of outdoor recreation and safety is key to enjoying any outdoor experience. We can’t wait to host more resident and community activities that encourage fun and safe recreation in 2018.