VIRGINIA
First Annual Endicott Community Association
Bike Rodeo and Safety Festival

 

PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS PROGRAM AREA(S)
  Targets hard-to-reach/at risk population
Outstanding collaborative effort
  Injury Prevention
Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety
       
TYPE OF JURISDICTION    
  City    
       
TARGETED POPULATION(S) JURISDICTION SIZE
  Youth
General Population
  194,173


PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Throughout the multi-jurisdictional area encompassing the city of Richmond, Virginia, unintentional injuries remain the dominant health threat to children 14 years old and younger, and motor vehicle crashes are the primary cause of injuries and death. More than 469 Richmond area children in this age group were injured in 1998, costing more than $3.4 million in emergency hospital visits alone. The majority of these injuries and deaths occur to children living in the inner city, introducing a unique set of issues related to the problem.


GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The goal of the First Annual Endicott Community Association Bike Rodeo and Safety Festival injury prevention project, conducted in 1999, was to reduce traffic-related injuries and fatalities in Richmond, Virginia's inner city community. Objectives of the project included:

  • Identifying specific safety problems within the Richmond community
  • Creating a vehicle through which the community might collaborate in solving the problem
  • Developing an ongoing safety awareness education effort


STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
The Endicott Community Association, located in Richmond's inner city, took the lead in developing the primary strategy for the safety project, by creating a public-private partnership, the Community Traffic Safety Network. In collaboration with this network of more than 25 organizations, the Endicott Community Association assessed the safety needs of the community, identified unique issues, and developed an action plan for meeting the goal of the injury prevention project. The action plan proposed the development of a year-long program of inner city educational and awareness projects, featuring a kick-off of the program with an all-day community Bike Rodeo and Safety Festival. Due to the far-reaching influence of the membership of the Network, the following activities planned for the Bike Rodeo and Safety Festival were instrumental in the success of the injury prevention project:

  • An interactive traffic safety tour instructed community children and their care givers on various safety issues
  • Children entered a traffic safety hurdle, competing for a chance to win a trip to Disney World
  • More than 350 children were given free school supplies and book bags
  • A focus group of 75 children developed an original cartoon character, Tim Tation, a wise ant who promotes safety
  • Over 325 children were provided free bicycle helmets, and 200 reconditioned bicycles were offered inexpensively


RESULTS
The results of the project are impressive. More than 100 pre- and post-event surveys were returned indicating increased awareness by participants in the various areas:

  • A 50 percent increase in awareness about correct bicycle helmet protection and the importance of buckling up
  • A 60 percent increase concerning commercial vehicle safety, and a 65 percent increase in work zone safety awareness
  • A 62 percent increase about the dangers of drinking while driving
  • A 45 percent increase in street crossing safety, and in how to call for emergency help
  • A 55 percent increase in awareness of school bus safety
  • A 65 percent increase in awareness of how to deal with aggressive drivers
 

FUNDING
  Section 402: $10,000
CONTACT  
 

Anthony Jones
Executive Director
Endicott Community Association
2504 Mandy Lane
Richmond, VA 23224
(804) 276–5930


NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION

WINTER 2000