Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee Sponsors Bike Safety Rodeos for Kids in Albany County
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, July 11, 2024
GOVERNOR’S TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE SPONSORS BIKE SAFETY RODEOS FOR KIDS IN ALBANY COUNTY
The GTSC Grant-Funded Program Teaches Kids 7-12 Bicycle Safety Tips and Provides Helmets to Those Who Need Them
More than 600 Kids Hurt in Bike-Involved Crashes in 2022
The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) spotlights three bike rodeos rolling into Albany County to teach important bicycle safety tips to kids ages 7 to 12 years old. Using a grant from GTSC, Albany County Public Works is partnering with summer camps at the Watervliet Civic Center, Watervliet Elementary School, and Green Island’s Paine Street Park program to bring this engaging and hands-on program to young riders. The rodeos will take place Thursday July 11 and Friday, July 12 for kids enrolled in the camps.
“We are delighted to fund this great program and see it get some well-deserved recognition,” said Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and GTSC Chair Mark J.F. Schroeder. “Bicyclists, especially children, are among the most vulnerable users of our roads. Providing safe riding instruction in a fun and engaging way, and providing helmets to those who need them will have a lasting impact that will help keep these kids safe.”
In 2022, more than 620 children between the ages of 4 and 15 were hurt in bicycle-involved crashes in New York State, and sadly, four children in that age range were killed that year. Preliminary data for 2023 shows the number of injuries to be even higher at 748 with 2 deaths.
The bike rodeo program is one of the measures GTSC and Albany County are taking to prevent these tragedies. The program begins with a classroom lesson on bicycle safety. The kids then ride through a road course that is set up using cones, applying the lessons they just learned. After the road course, the kids are given reflective wrist bands and blinking reflectors to use when they ride.
Any child who does not have a helmet or has an incorrectly fitting or damaged helmet is given a new one at no cost.
Bill Van Alstyne runs Albany County’s traffic safety education program and is the organizer of the bike rodeos. He expects about 200 children to participate in the three rodeos and expects to distribute about 30 to 40 helmets.
Bill Van Alstyne said, “The purpose of these rodeos is to teach children proper traffic safety skills that they can put to use right away. I designed the program to be a fun, positive experience for the kids, and I end every rodeo with a simple song to reinforce the message. Kids remember the singing more than the lesson, and they learn better if they are having fun.”
Among bicyclists, children are at the highest risk. Their field of vision is narrower than adults, and they are unable to determine the directions of sounds or accurately judge speed or distance of moving vehicles. They also overestimate their own abilities, are easily distracted, and tend to focus on one thing at a time.
For more information about GTSC, visit trafficsafety.ny.gov, or follow the GTSC conversation on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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