Bike to School Day-May 7
KPS team up with local first responders and UNK wrestling to encourage safe active travel to school
Kearney—Kearney Public Schools are teaming up with CHI Health Good Samaritan, Safe Kids Platte Valley, University of Nebraska-Kearney National Championship Wrestling Team, and the Kearney Police Department for National Bike and Roll to School Day. The celebration is designed to spotlight the joys and benefits of active travel to school, while drawing attention to bicyclist safety.
On May 7, the group will be stationed outside of Kearney’s Park Elementary starting at 7:30 am for a tunnel walk to greet the students. The importance of bike helmet usage, safe routes and other safety tips related to wheeled sports will be shared. As an added incentive for modeling good behavior, students biking or rolling to school while wearing helmets will have a chance to win a variety of prizes.
Those without bike helmets are invited to Good Samaritan’s annual Bike Helmet Event from 4-6 pm on Monday, June 2 at the Kearney Public Library. Helmets, toddler through adult sizes, are distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Each is provided at a greatly reduced price: a suggested donation of $10 to the Good Samaritan Foundation. All helmets meet current safety standards and are fitted by trained staff members from Good Samaritan Emergency Services. Last summer, more than 175 new bike helmets were provided during this event.
Safe Kids reports more children ages 5 to 14 are seen in emergency rooms for injuries related to biking than any other sport. Helmets can reduce the risk of severe brain injuries by 88 percent – yet only 45 percent of children 14 and under usually wear a bike helmet.
Bike Safety Tips from Safe Kids: https://www.safekids.org/sites/default/files/documents/bike_safety_tips_2019.pdf
About National Bike & Roll to School Day www.walkbiketoschool.org
The National Center for Safe Routes to School is committed to empowering communities to make active trips to school a safe, appealing, preferred choice for families. The National Center facilitates communities in becoming places for safe walking, biking and rolling for everyone, starting with children and the trip to school.