May is National Bike Safety Month. And it is being observed here in Georgia.

One of the byproducts of the COVID-19 crisis is that more cyclists are on the roads and the paths throughout Columbus and the Chattahoochee Valley.

That makes bicycle safety an even higher priority — for the cyclists and the motorists.

This year the safety focus is on making sure motorists allow three feet between the vehicle and the cyclists. That’s the law.

But one Columbus bike cop has seen the surge in riders and is urging common sense.

“During the last month — the month of April — cyclists started picking up, families started picking up,” Cpl. Robert Greene of the Columbus Police Department said. “More people cycling on roadways and especially trails. The Fall Line Trail and the Riverwalk. There are more families together riding.”

Georgia law requires children 16 and under to wear a certified helmet. Greene is urging all cyclists to follow that law and suggests parents wear one as well to be good role models.