Bike to School Day on May 4

Bike to School Day on May 4

Schools Nationwide Promote Bike Safety

 

 

New Hanover County, NC – On May 4, 2016, Safe Kids Cape Fear, which is led by New Hanover County Health Department, along with Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (WMPO) and Cape Fear Cyclists, will join together and partner with local elementary schools in celebrating National Bike to School Day. This event brings together children, parents and educators to raise awareness about bike safety.

 

National Bike to School Day will be celebrated in hundreds of communities across the United States as part of National Bike Month. Events raise awareness of opportunities to increase bicycling and walking and emphasize the importance of issues such as increasing physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, traffic congestion and concern for the environment. The events build connections between families, schools and the broader community.

 

“It’s important for bicyclists to wear properly-fitted bicycle helmets every time they ride. A helmet is the single most effective way to prevent head injury from a bicycle crash,” said Safe Kids Cape Fear Health Educator Julia Phelps. “But many children still do not wear them. We have a simple saying, ‘Use your head. Wear a helmet.’”

 

Nearly 250,000 kids ages 19 and under were seen in emergency rooms for bike-related injuries in 2014. Bike to School Day is an important opportunity for students to learn how to safely bike to and from school.

 

Follow these important tips when biking:

• Tell your kids to ride on the right side of the road, with traffic, not against it. Stay as far to the right as possible. Use appropriate hand signals and respect traffic signals. Stop at all stop signs and stoplights.
• Teach your kids to make eye contact with drivers to make sure drivers are paying attention and are going to stop before they cross the street.
• When your kids are riding at dusk, dawn or in the evening, make sure they use lights – and make sure their bikes have reflectors as well. It's also smart to have them wear clothes and accessories that have retro-reflective materials to improve visibility to motorists.
• Actively supervise children until you're comfortable that they are responsible to ride on their own.

####

 

Release Contact:

 

Joshua Swift

Deputy Health Director

910-798-6592

jswift@nhcgov.com