Bike Safety Rodeo Kicks Off 101 Days of Summer

With the summer season officially in full swing, the kicked off its 101 Days of Summer program Saturday morning with the township's first Bike Safety Rodeo.

Kids, parents and police gathered at the  for the rodeo.

The event's highlight was a helmet safety check and bike inspection in a booth run by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Safe Kids gave a new helmet to any child who didn't have one that properly fit.

“The biggest part of our bike safety program is kids wearing a properly fitted helmet,” said Gloucester Township Police Chief W. Harry Earle. “A helmet that is not fitted properly could still do damage to the head.”

After safety inspections, the kids were allowed to ride in three different safety courses. The first taught kids out to safely avoid obstacles and pedestrians in the roadway. The second showed kids how to stop a stop sign, even in the sidewalk. The third was a driveway simulation, showing the kids to look both ways before turning out into the roadway. The Gloucester Township Police Bike Patrol helped guide the kids through the course. All of the bikers received a certificate upon completion of the courses.

Kids also received information from various safety gropus represented the rodeo. Booths included information from traffic safety as well as D.A.R.E.

“With traffic safety, we want the parents to serve as role models, with children obeying the law,” said Earle. “The biggest traffic safety lesson for kids 20 years ago was when the ball bounces out into the street, look out to make sure no one's coming. And that was the extent of it. We've come a long way.”

Earle and Gloucester Township Mayor David Mayer introduced the 101 Days of Summer program prior to the Bike Safety Rodeo. Organizers aim to raise awareness about traffic safety among township residents and get feedback from the community.

“Our goal is to improve the quality of life for our residents of Gloucester Township,” said Mayer. “The 101 Days of Summer campaign is a step in that direction. Whether it is our bicycle patrol units that we implemented last year, whether it is [Chief Earle]'s overall policing strategy, or whether it is our Beat the Heat program, which we are launching today.”

The Beat the Heat program was also a part of the 101 Days of Summer and began on Saturday. Township Police will be giving out coupons for free ice cream to children who are seen obeying safety laws on their bikes. This program not only rewards the kids, but also builds a better community bond between the residents and the police department.

Beat the Heat has developed with the help of local businesses that have partnered with the GTPD's Community Relations Department. Some of the businesses include Hilltop Creamery, and .

All of these safety programs have led to a reduction in pedestrian and cyclist crashes. In 2010, there were 10 pedestrians hit by vehicles, compared to 24 in 2009. Bicycles struck were also down from eight in 2009 to six in 2010.

Some of the other 101 Days of Summer programs include Click It or Ticket, programs with the Fatal Vision goggles that give drivers a sense of how they get distracted with driving under the influence or driving while on a cell phone and making the bike path crossings in Blackwood crosswalks.

For more information on the 101 Days of Summer, contact the GTPD Community Relations or visit glotwp.com/departments/Police/Police.html.