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Bike Month Profile: Wichita Police Sgt. Travis Rakestraw

Sgt. Travis Rakestraw works with the Accident Follow-Up Unit and the Robbery Investigation Section of the Wichita Police Department. When it comes to street accidents, he says his unit sees "the worst of the worst." Sgt. Rakestraw says if both bicyclists and motor vehicle drivers pay more attention to each other, his team will have fewer serious or fatal accidents to investigate each year, and more people can get where they want to go safely. 

He says bicycles are considered motor vehicles according to city ordinance, since they're sharing the roadways, and they should follow the rules of the road just like other types of vehicles. 

Listen to Sgt. Travis Rakestraw share how bicyclists and motorists in Wichita should interact, and why it's so important to wear a helmet. 

Learn more about National Bike Month, see other bicyclist profiles,  and find bike month events here

When she's not out making lattes in her mobile coffee bus Sunflower Espresso, Kate Hutchens is a fill-in host for KMUW. She has worked in broadcast journalism at KFDI, Oregon Public Broadcasting, and at KMUW as Morning Edition host, which she did until March 2017.
Hugo Phan is a Digital News Reporter at KMUW, and founding member of the KMUW Movie Club. After years of being a loyal listener, he signed up to be a KMUW volunteer and joined the station's college student group before becoming a digital assistant in 2013.