Orange County Bicycle Safety Project

CALIFORNIA

PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS PROGRAM AREA(S)
  Targets hard-to-reach/at risk population   Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety
       
TYPE OF JURISDICTION    
  County    
       
TARGETED POPULATION(S) JURISDICTION SIZE
  Students   2,410,556


PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Bicycle injuries represent a significant risk for children in Orange County, California. Orange County Coroner reports indicate that from 1991-1995, 41 people died in bicycle- related incidents25 percent of whom were children under 14 years of age. In a study conducted in 1991 by the University of California Irvine Pediatric Injury Prevention Research Group, bicycle-related injuries were found to be the second leading cause of injury-related hospitalizations for children ages 5 to 14. Of this group studied, only one child was known to be wearing a helmet.

In a separate study in 1991, the Pediatric Injury Prevention Research Group surveyed 502 third and fifth grade students about bicycle safety. The results were striking. Of the students who rode bicycles, 87 percent rode on the street, only 15 percent wore helmets, 36 percent did not know that bicyclists are required to follow the rules of the road applying to other vehicles, 13 percent did not worry about stopping at stop signs, only 38 percent knew they should ride on the right-hand side of the road, 69 percent were unable to select correct behavior for crossing or entering traffic, 73 percent did not know the correct hand signal for a right turn, and 32 percent thought that two children riding on one bicycle was acceptable.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
In an effort to reduce bicycle-related injuries among county children, the Orange County Health Care Agency developed the Orange County Bicycle Safety Project in 1995. Project objectives included the following:

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
To increase public awareness about bicycle safety, a prevention education program was developed targeting elementary school children. The program featured a costumed "hero" named "Sprocket Woman" who presented information on bicycle safety during 309 school assemblies that reached 158,754 children; in individual classrooms; and at 41 community events, such as bicycle rodeos, that reached 60,740 people.

Organizers of the Bicycle Safety Project developed a media campaign that featured strategies such as placing public service announcements in community and organization newsletters, providing announcements to local radio stations, and distributing safety- related pamphlets. A brochure, Heads up for Helmet Safety: Bicycle Tips for Parents, was developed in five languages and distributed to 213,249 parents.

A Bicycle Safety Task Force was also convened, comprised of school and law enforcement officials who received bicycle rodeo training.

Project officials purchased 18,029 bicycle helmets and provided them free-of-charge to children from low income households.

RESULTS
During 1995, collisions involving bicycles in Orange County declined by 7.63 percent over 1994 (from 1,271 in 1994 to 1,174 in 1995). Fatalities and injuries involving bicyclists declined by 4.93 percent during the same period (from 1,257 in 1994 to 1,195 in 1995).

FUNDING
  Section 402:

$359,865

  Local:

$30,477

CONTACT  
  Amy Dale
Health Promotion Program Manager
Orange County Health Care Agency
P.O. Box 355, Building 62
Santa Ana, CA 92702
(714) 834-2228



National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Summer 1997