With the school year coming to an end and warmer weather on the way, children in Conroe and across Texas will soon be taking to neighborhood roads and sidewalks on their bicycles. Since May is Bicycle Safety Month, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is raising awareness about the importance of bicycle safety for riders of all ages. This year, they’re calling on bicycle riders and automobile drivers to be “Roll Models.”
NHTSA’s Role Model Tips for Cyclists
- Always wear a helmet
- See and be seen
- Make sure you have the right sized bicycle
- Check equipment for safety and function
- Know the rules of the road
- Share the road
Cyclist Injuries and Fatalities in The U.S.
In 2015, 818 cyclists were killed and an estimated 45,000 cyclists were injured in traffic crashes across the nation. Children ages 14 and younger accounted for five percent of all cyclist deaths and 12 percent of all cyclist injuries in 2015. Additionally, the 15 to 19-year-old age group had the highest injury rate (256 per million people) for all cyclists.
Distraction-Free Driving for Cyclist Safety
Bicycle riders, especially children, are truly at the mercy of other drivers on the road. The safety campaign isn’t just focused on how cyclists can improve their personal safety. The NHTSA is also calling on drivers to be “Roll Models” this year. For drivers to be good “Role Models,” they need to make a commitment to distraction-free driving. When drivers text, check Facebook, or engage in other distracting behaviors behind the wheel, they endanger the lives of other roadway users.
It takes an average of five seconds to send or read a text message. If you’re going 55 miles per hour, that’s the equivalent of driving the length of a football field blindfolded. You would never close your eyes for five seconds while you’re driving, so don’t check your phone.
Scott Law Firm’s Annual Bicycle Giveaway
Bicycle accidents can be devastating for children and families. Children are more likely to become severely injured in collisions with cars if they are not wearing a helmet.
To promote child bicycle safety this summer, Scott Law Firm gave away bicycles with helmets on June 10, 2017, to local area kids.
