Solano County Awarded Office of Traffic Safety Grant

Children’s safety and physical fitness will benefit over the next 12 months from a grant that aims to reduce pedestrian and bicycle related injuries, while encouraging daily walking and biking to school.

The Solano County Health and Social Services, Health Promotion and Community Wellness Bureau, has received a grant of $125,000 from California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to increase pedestrian and bicycle safety among children with a focus on promoting use of helmets when biking, skating, skateboarding or riding scooters.

The need for such a program was tragically demonstrated the same week the grant was awarded. An 11-year-old was killed and his companion injured when the skateboard they were riding collided with a truck in Vallejo Nov. 11. In Fairfield, Nov. 10, a hit-and-run driver struck a 6-year-old.

“These are the types of terrible tragedies our program aims to prevent,” said Robin Cox, Health Education Manager.  “This grant will help increase child and adult education, allowing us to raise driver awareness to look for pedestrians and bicyclists, and to teach children the necessity of always wearing properly fitted helmets while biking, skating or skateboarding.”

While the focus is on elementary school children learning to walk and ride to school safely, pedestrian safety for everyone is an important component of the program.

“We’re kicking off a campaign targeting drivers to be more aware of pedestrians and bicyclists,” said Tracy Nachand, senior health education specialist coordinating the program. “We’ll be emphasizing the dangers of distracted driving, especially with cell phones.”

During the coming year, Nachand will partner with schools to hold safety assemblies, bike rodeos, walking “school buses” and classroom competitions that promote walking and riding with consistent helmet use.

“One of our goals is to have three schools actively implement a helmet policy by September 2012,” Nachand said.  “Our success will depend on the support of school staff and parent leaders who want to give their children safe opportunities for more physical activity, and as an environmental advantage, reduce traffic congestion and pollution around schools.”

For information on injury prevention activities or to volunteer, contact Nachand at (707) 553-5543 or tnachand@solanocounty.com.