How to Organize a Bicycle Safety Program

Bicycle safety programs teach children the proper rules of the road and safety precautions that they should follow while bicycling. Set up a program that encompasses younger and older children. The more kids you can get involved, the safer the bicyclists are in your community.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Organize a bicycle safety program that teaches basic safety rules and proper bike handling and traffic rules. The program should be broken into age levels for pre-school through elementary age kids. The program should break the different age groups into sections to teach different levels of skills and safety rules.

2. Find a location, such as a school parking lot or business parking lot, that won't be used on a weekend. If you want to extend the program to get more in depth find a location that is available for a month of Saturday mornings or days that you find work for your community.

3. Get help from local law enforcement and emergency technicians. Ask them if they would like to supply teachers for the program or help outline the safety program.

4. Ask participants to bring bikes and helmets. Make sure all program advertising states all participants need a helmet to ride bicycles. Make sure you have some extra helmets on hand.

5. Outline the program. Include sections on the use of proper bicycling gear, following road rules, safety issues, bicycle rodeo competition common riding experiences for each student. Keep instructions for younger children brief with many hands-on opportunities.

6. Find corporate and charitable sponsors. Start with companies that make or sell bicycle equipment. Form a committee to canvass all local businesses asking for sponsorships. Look for companies willing to donate money, prizes or even bicycles and equipment to give as prizes. Designate a section in which you can list sponsors of the event on posters. This gives local businesses more incentive to get involved and donate. Give door prizes and make sure every participant gets something like a free ice cream cone or hot dog lunch.

7. Advertise the planned bicycle safety program using posters, radio and newspaper ads. Ask for free air time from local stations that may sponsor the event.

Tips & Warnings

• Older children can be given small quizzes about road and bicycle safety. If you give prizes for good scores, you'll be able to hold your student's attention much longer.
• Set rules about where bikes can be ridden at the program and when. You may want to designated one isolated section just for the hands-on riding experience. This prevents unsupervised or unruly riders from causing injury to others.

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