“A motorcycle or bicycle is a vehicle with all of the rights and responsibilities of any motor vehicle; however, as one of the smallest vehicles on the road, a motorcycle or bicycle may be in a vehicle’s blind spots… In 2023 there were 352 bicyclist involved in crashes resulting in 229 injuries and 17 deaths. Of those crashes, 346 involved at least one other vehicle.” (Kentucky Office of Highway Safety).

Casey County is a small rural community with limited areas for safe bicycle riding. The downtown Liberty provides sidewalks and slower speed limits (for cars). The Central KY Ag/Expo Center provides a 2-mile loop and a ¾ mile loop for walking, running, skating, and bicycling. The Ag/Expo Center also provides free bicycles for youth and adults to ride when they visit the complex. 

With limited spaces for safe bicycle riding, many youth are not given the opportunity to ride a bicycle, let alone learn how to ride one. To provide education for these youth, Casey County 4-H offered the Bicycle Safety Rodeo program to the 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th grade classrooms at Jones Park Elementary (JPE), Liberty Elementary (LES), and Walnut Hill Elementary (WHE). 

Through coordination with the Norton’s Children Hospital (NCH) a Bicycle Safety Rodeo was provided to 63 3^rd grade students and 68 4^th grade students at WHE and 51 4^th grade students at LES. A representative from NCH set up an obstacle course including stop lights, stop signs, and railroad crossings. The students were provided with bicycles and helmets and instructions to ride through the course with consequences if rules were not followed. Students who did not wish to participate were assistants in implementing the traffic stops. Students who were not able to ride a bike or needed some assistance, were able to work on their skills improving their pedaling and balancing skills. Several students were able to build their confidence in riding to complete the course before the conclusion of the program. 

At the conclusion of the event, the Brain Injury Alliance of Kentucky were contacted to provide helmets for these students. Each student who participated in the Bicycle Safety Rodeo were presented with a free helmet to using when riding their bikes or roller skating/blading and learned about the important of wearing a helmet. 

With the support of the three elementary schools and their principals, we are in the process of collecting donated bikes to have at each school to provide more learning opportunities for the youth; helmets will also be provided to these schools. The schools will also look into the possibility of having a painted bike path for the students to practice their riding skills and following traffic laws. 

Casey County plans to provide this program to additional classrooms next year who did not participate this year.