Summer programs educate bicyclists

More than 800 people benefited from Delaware Department of Transportation bicycle safety programs during summer 2014. Twelve bicycle checkpoints in Delaware’s resort towns reached 604 residents, tourists and summer employees, and five classes reached 204 summer employees.

At bicycle checkpoints, DelDOT staff and volunteers distributed 548 sets of bicycle lights and 77 helmets while talking with visitors about bicycle laws, bicycle safety, places to ride and local events. The lights and helmets were provided by Sussex Cyclists and Delaware Bicycle Council.

During summer employee training sessions, DelDOT staff and volunteers provide two hours of classroom training about bike laws, traffic, intersections and possible routes to and from employment. Then, after the classroom portion of the training session, DelDOT staff and volunteers work with summer employees outside.

The employees practice bicycling and emergency safety maneuvers before taking a ride along the corridors they will travel during their summer at the beach. Employers such as Sea Colony, Thrashers and Funland encourage their employees to participate in the program.

Supporting DelDOT’s bicycle safety programs were Sussex Cyclists, Delaware State Police, Beebe Healthcare, Lewes-Rehoboth Association of Churches, and University of Delaware Cooperative Extension.