Our Community in Fairfax County, Virginia

The region-wide Street Smart campaign kicked off in late March at a news conference in Washington, D.C.  Coordinated by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) and local police departments, the focus of the Street Smart campaign is about safety—for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers.

Pedestrian fatalities account for one-quarter of all traffic deaths in the metro region.  Much of the pedestrian safety advice reinforces what we all learned as children: cross only with the light; use marked crosswalks; look left, right, left, before starting across; and wear white or light-colored clothing when walking at night.

Cyclists should wear helmets, observe traffic laws, and be especially aware when cycling at night.  Use a working front light and a rear reflector, and wear light or reflective clothing.

Drivers need to be aware of pedestrians and cyclists along the side of the road, or crossing in front of them.  Slow down in neighborhoods and give pedestrians a "brake."  More about the Street Smart campaign can be found on the COG Web site.

Just in time for spring, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation updated its popular bicycle route map, and it is available in printed and electronic formats!

Printed copies are available at local bike shops, the information desk at the Fairfax County Government Center, the Maps and Publications Center at the Fairfax County Government Center, and Board of Supervisors offices county-wide.  Please call ahead to ensure that printed copies are in stock because they are going fast!  Electronic copies are available for download in a PDF format at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/bike/bikemap.htm.

For additional information about the Fairfax County Bicycle Program, log-on to www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/bike; and to offer suggestions or comments regarding the map, send an e-mail to bicycleprogram@fairfaxcounty.gov, or call 703-324-BIKE (2453).

A Message for Parents

• A bicycle is not a toy.  It's a vehicle!
• More than one-third of all bicyclist deaths occur among school age youth ages five to 20.
• Most bicycle crashes involving motor vehicles are due to behavioral errors on the part of the bicyclist.
• Although most bicyclist deaths occur as a result of bicycle and motor vehicle collisions in the streets, crashes can happen anywhere - in parks, on bicycle paths, and in driveways.
• Head in juries are the most serious type of injury and the most common cause of death for bicyclists.
• Studies have proven that bicycle helmets work to reduce head injury.  It is a law in Fairfax County that all children under 14 must wear helmets while riding bikes.
• Fifteen states and over 50 counties, cities, and localities have enacted bicycle helmet use laws.

• Insist that your child wear a helmet every time he/she rides a bicycle.  Replace the helmet if it has been damaged.
• Let your child choose a helmet.  Make sure it has a sticker indicating that it meets Snell Memorial Foundation or American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards.
• Instruct your child on the correct way to wear a helmet.  Make sure it fits snugly and covers the forehead.
• Set a good example.  Wear a helmet yourself.
• Notice when your child wears a helmet correctly and praise him/her.
• Check your child's bicycle for correct fir, properly working parts, and reflectors.
• Teach your child to look left-right-left before entering the roadway or intersection.
• Avoid allowing your child to ride at night, as drivers often miss seeing cyclists.
• Never let a child ride a bicycle while listening to audio headphones.
• Stress the need to ride defensively since many drivers do not see bicyclists.
• Bicyclists should ride single file on the right side of the road--just like cars--and signal their intentions to other road users.
• Check with driver licensing agencies and highway departments for booklets that explain bicycle safety rules.
• Enroll you child in a bicycle safety education program if one is available in your community.

Now that warm weather has arrived, many young people have started riding bicycles throughout our area. I am concerned that many of them are riding bicycles without helmets.  Not only is that against the law, but it also is deadly.

After the authority to do so was granted in 1994, Fairfax County passed an ordinance to require those under 15 to wear bicycle helmets.  The purpose of the law is not to punish children, but to reduce the risk of traumatic head injuries.

Up to 100,000 Americans die each year from brain trauma, and children under 14 have the highest death rates from bicycle-related head injuries.  Just as many people are left permanently impaired, and the cost of caring for those with brain injuries over their lifetimes can reach the millions of dollars.

Wearing a helmet reduces the risk of head and brain injuries by as much as 88 percent for children and adults.  There are programs to help parents who may not be able to afford bicycle helmets for their children.  Jiffy Lube offers such a program, as does Safe Kids.

For information about any of this, you can contact the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute in Arlington at 703-486-0100.  Remember, better safe than sorry!