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Portland Takes Proactive Measures with Bicycle Safety

By Jana Moseley

In 1969, 41 percent of children walked and biked to school compared to only 13 percent in 2001 ... over roughly the same period of time, childhood obesity rates more than tripled. Experts say that these two trends are related.” Margaux Mennesson, communication coordinator for the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA), describes the conditions that led to the forming of the BTA’s Bike Safety Education (BSE) Classes. Launched in 1998, in conjunction with the national Safe Routes to School effort, the program brought safety education to elementary schools throughout Oregon and SW Washington.

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a national effort to increase the number of kids walking and biking to school each day. Enforced on a state-to-state level, Portland’s SRTS program initiated the 5-E project in partnership with local schools. The 5-E’s stand for Education, Encouragement, Engineering, Enforcement, and Evaluation. The BTA collaborates with SRTS, and local schools to provide the education aspect of the 5-E plan.

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As of this year the BTA Ambassadors are teaching in a record 49 classrooms in 18 schools in Portland alone. The program is also taught in Albany, Ashland, Beaverton, Bend, Corvallis, Eugene, Salem, Springfield, Talent, and Tigard.

“In Oregon, BSE together with a comprehensive Safe Routes to School program can teach children and families the benefits of and skills to safely navigate their community, promote healthy and active living, and push for the prioritization of our resources to build bicycle and pedestrian routes that are safe and enjoyable for the whole family.”

The goals of the BTA’s program are simple enough, to increase the safety of youth bicyclists, the number and frequency of children riding their bicycles, and to improve the health, learning capacity and community conditions for bicycling. Mennesson discusses the importance of bike safety education: “Many parents are scared to let their kids ride bikes to school or even down the street ... the BTA’s Bike Safety Education program helps reassure parents that their kids know how to ride a bike safely, legally, and responsibly.”

Using a 10-hour curriculum combining classroom and on-bike sessions, the program brings resources to the schools, including a trained instructor, a fleet of 30 bikes, helmets, brochures and pamphlets, safety vests, videos and other equipment. Courses are taught in fourth to seventh grade classrooms and cover topics such as general bicycle safety, rules of the road, helmet fitting, flat tire repair, and bike equipment.

On-bike lessons begin with bike handling skills, hazard avoidance, right-of-way, lane positioning, and intersection practice, and culminate in one or two community rides. Once the course is completed, the BTA continues to work with educators in order to improve bicycle facilities and to promote cycling within the school.

While studies have yet to document a significant change, the program has no doubt impacted attitudes and behaviors about transportation choices. Mennesson notes, “We’ve seen an increase in the number of schools and parents asking for more bike racks and requesting information about Safe Routes to School.” And last month a record number participated in the International Walk + Bike to School Day, with thousands of students at nearly 200 schools throughout Oregon taking part.

Two things are essential to the success of this program: funding and volunteers. Mennesson elaborates, “The main limitation for the BTA expanding through our own resources is funding. We pay for instructor training and teaching time, as well as the bike fleet ... in addition to funding, a successful BSE program depends on supportive schools and, teachers who are willing to fit in 10 extra lesson hours on top of their required curriculum.” Schools either allocate two hours per day for a week or one hour for two weeks.

Setting its sights on bike safety education for all, the BTA developed its own curriculum so that any community can join the movement. “Other cities and states can purchase the program for their own use.” Organizations in Washington such as Feet First and the Bicycle Alliance are working with the Safe Routes to School program to make walking and biking to school safe, practical and fun. The SRTS website provides lesson plans and activities for teachers to incorporate into their classroom. Several local shops and organizations also provide courses in bicycle safety, but the BTA’s program is the only of its kind, providing free courses at an early age. To find out more information about the Bike Safety Education Program, visit the Bicycle Transportation Alliance website at www.bta4bikes.org. Or to check up on Washington’s bike safety efforts go to www.saferoutes-wa.org or www.bicyclealliance.org.