Traffic Safety Digest  
Fall 2002
 
Project Characteristics
Education & Enforcement
Program Areas
Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety

Public Information & Education

Type of Jurisdiction
County

Targeted Population
School Children

Jurisdiction Size
252,000

Funding
Section 402: $7,000

Contact
Mike Schurman
Atlantic County Office of Hwy Safety
5033 English Creek Ave.
Egg Harbor Twp., NJ 08234
(609) 407-6739

Digest Listing


     

NEW JERSEY
Atlantic County Bicycle Safety Initiative


PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

There were 130 bike crashes on Atlantic County roadways in 2001. Six people, including five children, were killed in traffic crashes that involved bicycles, a skateboard, and an all- terrain vehicle (Quad). Five of the six victims did not wear helmets.

Bike helmet usage surveys in several school districts that had bike paths showed most of the school children were not wearing bike helmets. In Somers Point, for example, a survey showed that of 359 students who rode bikes to school in a one-week period, only 24 wore helmets (seven percent). The Atlantic County Association of Chiefs of Police, alarmed over the statistics, formally requested that the Atlantic County Highway Safety Task Force intercede with the Superintendent of Schools to adapt a policy prohibiting children from riding bicycles to school unless they wear an approved safety helmet.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The goal of the Atlantic County Bicycle Safety Initiative is to:

  • Encourage Atlantic County's 24 school districts to implement a bike helmet policy;

  • Support a Helmets 4-LIFE (community based incentive) program; and

  • Develop an aggressive bicycle safety awareness, education, and enforcement program.

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES

The first task was to develop and seek support for a Bike Helmet Policy for Atlantic County Middle Schools through the following strategies and activities:

  • The Task Force and the Atlantic County Association of Chiefs of Police developed a strategy focusing on the problem of children under the age of 14 riding bikes to school without safety helmets. The two groups then drafted a School Bike Helmet Policy for the county's middle schools.

  • Sought Civil Tort Liability Opinion regarding the legal responsibilities for school districts to properly supervise bicycling and the use of bicycle helmets by students who are permitted to bring bicycles onto school property.

  • In order to develop support for the policy, representatives of both groups presented information about bike helmet safety concerns at a meeting of the Atlantic County Superintendents of Schools.

  • Distributed the School Bike Helmet Policy and the Civil Tort Liability Opinion to each of the County's 24 Public School Districts; followed up with individual schools districts on adopting a School Bike Helmet Policy

  • Promoted the School Bike Helmet Policy in news releases and public affairs radio and television programming.

The Atlantic County Office of Highway Safety also sought to develop and coordinate bike safety education and inspection programs for middle schools in districts that have bike paths that are used by children going to and from school.

  • Under the direction of the Task Force, the Atlantic County Office of Highway Safety met with local school officials and police chiefs in the targeted counties to develop a bike safety education and inspection program. The Office of Highway Safety will coordinate scheduling of bike safety education and inspection programs and media coverage of the events.

  • The Office also assisted local police departments in obtaining bike repair kits, bike helmets, reflectors, and bicycle safety materials for the program.

  • The program was implemented in the middle schools in September and October of 2001 and from April through June of 2002. Bike helmet usage surveys were conducted during the same time period.

RESULTS

  • To date, 15 of the 24 Atlantic County School Districts have adopted a bike helmet policy; the nine other school districts do not permit students to ride bikes to school. Eight of the school districts have also adopted or have expressed interest in implementing a Helmets 4-LIFE program.

  • Bike helmet usage went up dramatically, with increases ranging from 40 percent to 76 percent.

  • In the first six months of 2002, there were no bicycle or skateboard traffic fatalities in Atlantic County.

    

 
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