On July 25, RideWise’s Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety Manager, Jon Dugan, joined Bound Brook Police Department, Bound Brook Recreation, Middle Earth, Building Bridges to Better Health, and Bound Brook Mayor Robert Fazen and Councilman Abel Gomez to host a bicycle safety and helmet fitting event. The idea for the Bound Brook Bike Safety Event was sparked by Police Chief Vito Bet, who noticed that many children were biking without helmets and grew concerned about the potential for injuries.
Following COVID restrictions, 20 helmets were given and properly fitted to children who attended, along with safety instructions regarding hand-signaling and riding in a group, face masks, and COVID-related health information.
This was RideWise’s second summer teaching children in Bound Brook about bicycle safety; last June, RideWise and the Healthier Somerset Coalition partnered to hold a “Touch a Truck” event and bike rodeo in Bound Brook. Thirty children participated in the rodeo and received helmets while also having the opportunity to speak to firemen and police officers and see their vehicles.
To host a similar bike event in your community, email Jon Dugan, Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Manager, at jon@ridewise.org.