East Windsor's Bicycle Safety Program Kicks Off May 10

EAST WINDSOR, NJ — East Windsor Township’s multi-month bicycle safety program will launch on Wednesday, May 10, with a pro-active safety initiative called “Use Your Head,” township officials said on Tuesday. The initiatives focus on the proper use of bicycle helmets. It is a bicycle helmet giveaway program.
Three sessions will be held on Wednesdays, May 10 and 24 and June 7, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the municipal building. East Windsor residents ages 5 through 16 can receive a bicycle helmet at no cost.

After viewing a 5-minute video on the importance of bicycle helmets and bicycle safety, participants will be measured and given a properly fitted bicycle helmet, along with safety literature.

“This bicycle safety program entitled ‘Use Your Head,’ geared to children under 17 years old, is intended to enhance safety by increasing awareness of the laws requiring helmet wear, promoting helmet usage and instructing on correct helmet usage and fit,” East Windsor Mayor Janice S. Mironov said. “It is not only the law for young bicyclers, but it is good common sense for all people riding bikes to protect themselves by wearing a helmet. The statistics are profound as to the results of wearing bicycle helmets on reductions in injuries and fatalities.”

Phase 2 of the bicycle safety program will run from June 7 through July 31. Mironov, council members and police officers will distribute mock summonses to young people. The summonses will positively recognize children wearing helmets and ask them to sign a pledge “to use a safety helmet when using a bicycle, skateboard or rollerblades.” Those pledges will enable them to be entered in a drawing for prizes, to take place on Tuesday, Aug. 1, at East Windsor’s “National Night Out” celebration.

“I believe it is a worthy goal of our township to launch a public program to focus on and improve the safe use of bicycles within the township by undertaking this pro-active education and outreach campaign,” Mironov said.

Patch file photo