Published on May 02, 2017

East Windsor Township Mayor Janice S. Mironov proclaimed May 2017 “Bicycle Safety Month” and announced a multi-month bicycle safety program, to be launched in two phases, with a kick-off on Wednesday, May 10 of “Use Your Head,” a pro-active safety initiative focused on proper use of bicycle helmets. 

Use Your Head is a bicycle helmet giveaway program, with sessions on Wednesday, May 10, Wednesday, May 24 and Wednesday, June 7, all from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the East Windsor municipal building.  East Windsor residents ages 5 through 16 can receive a bicycle helmet at no cost.  After viewing a brief 5 minute video on the importance of bicycle helmets and bicycle safety, participants will be measured and given a properly fitted bicycle helmet, along with safety literature.

Mayor Mironov stated, “This bicycle safety program entitled ‘Use Your Head,’ geared to children under 17 years old, is intended to enhance safety by increasing awareness of the laws requiring helmet wear, promoting helmet usage and instructing on correct helmet usage and fit.”  Mayor Mironov added “It is not only the law for young bicyclers, but it is good common sense for all people riding bikes to protect themselves by wearing a helmet.  The statistics are profound as to the results of wearing bicycle helmets on reductions in injuries and fatalities.”

The Township will follow-up with the implementation of a further component of this multi-month bicycle safety initiative.  Phase 2 will begin on June 7 and run through July 31, during which Mayor Mironov and Council Members and Township police officers will distribute mock summonses to young people.  The summonses will positively recognize children wearing helmets and ask them to sign a pledge “to use a safety helmet when using a bicycle, skateboard or rollerblades,” which will enable them to be entered in a drawing for prizes, to take place on Tuesday August 1 at the Township “National Night Out”.

Mayor Mironov underscored the program goals stating, “I believe it is a worthy goal of our Township to launch a public program to focus on and improve the safe use of bicycles within the Township by undertaking this pro-active education and outreach campaign.”