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Police want children to make bike safety a HABIT

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By JENNIFER NOBLIT, Dublin Villager, May 13, 2015

Dublin Division of Police officials are hoping children can cycle some new habits into their days.

Members of the Dublin Police Bicycle Unit visited Dublin elementary schools this week and last to roll out a new bicycle safety presentation for grades 3 to 5.

Officer Michael McCaskey visited Wyandot Elementary School last week, cluing students into safety habits that include wearing a helmet, using breaks properly, obeying all traffic laws and wearing bright clothing when riding.

"Last summer there were four accidents involving young people on bicycles," McCaskey told students May 4. "The reason they got hit is they rode across the bike path and didn't stop for cars."

Working with students is nothing new for McCaskey who was a school resource officer for 22 of his 26 years with the Dublin Police Department.

The "Make Bike Safety a HABIT" presentation taken to Dublin's 12 elementary schools was his brainchild.

"We'd always done the bicycle rodeo, but attendance has diminished," McCaskey said.

HABIT is an acronym the police are hoping children will use to remember ways to be safe on bikes with helmet, air, brakes, illuminate and traffic.

"The people in the bicycle patrol unit brainstormed a good way to connect with the kids."

The school assemblies are short and filled with information for keeping children safe on their bikes.

Each school also gets a few helmets to give away, McCaskey said.

"We got a grant for the helmets," he said. "Each school gets 16 helmets that we give to the principal and they can distribute them as they see fit.

"They know where the need is."

While a few students will take home helmets, they'll also get information to share with their parents.

"The important piece is we want to engage parents too," McCaskey said.

"We give a letter to the schools to send out with their emails because I think parents want to know what the kids are learning about in school."

The new program will reach about 3,600 students this year thanks to the partnership with Dublin City Schools.

"It really helps us get in front of a bigger group of young people," McCaskey said.

McCaskey hopes to get feedback from educators on this year's sessions to improve for the future with plans to take it to Boy Scout groups or others who request it.

"We're doing grades 3-5 for the pilot," he said.

"After this year we'll regroup and see where we're at and hopefully offer it on a regular basis."

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