Westfield Police Respond To Minors In The Middle Of Traffic

WESTFIELD, NJ - Police are alerting the public to a trend of kids in large groups riding their bicycles in and out of traffic around the town.

On Tuesday at around 4 p.m., an officer followed more than two dozen bicyclists in Westfield to ensure everyone's safety. These rides have been recurring, resulting in police trying to stop them on other occasions. The kids then fled through businesses and yards.

Westfield Police are asking parents and guardians to talk with their kids about this behavior and work to deter it in the future.

According to a 2024 study by the Rutgers School of Planning and Public Policy, bicyclists and pedestrians in New Jersey face a higher risk of serious injury or death from crashes than drivers. Of the nearly 6,000 crashes that involved one of the two parties that were also under the age of 16, 50 children were killed between 2016 and 2020.

Around half of all the crashes occurred within .25 miles of a school, posing additional risk to pedestrian safety.