Free Lights for Bikes in Isla Vista

Davidson Library stays open until 9 and 10 p.m. at night out at UC Santa Barbara and is one of the prime places on campus to study or nap until an evening class begins. Most students ride their bicycles to campus from Isla Vista, which in the winter darkness can cause crashes if they’re riding without a light. The California Highway Patrol decided to hand out free bike lights rather than write up hundreds of traffic tickets, said CHP Commander MJ Logie, and the giveaway takes place on Wednesday, February 15, from 6-7:30 p.m. in front of the Pardall Center at 6550 Pardall Road.

Not only will the CHP be giving away 1,000 removable bike lights, but officers and volunteers from the I.V. Community Services District, UCSB, and Cottage Hospital will also have on hand reflectors, helmets, and bike safety information for all comers.

Bicycle and pedestrian accidents rank as the third-highest cause of trauma cases at Cottage Hospital, Logie stated in a press release, and his officers are called to I.V. several times a year to investigate the more serious of the frequent crashes.

“Our hope is to make Isla Vista brighter, thus making bicyclists visible during darkness,” Logie said, “make the cycling environment safer, reduce injuries, and reduce property damage.”