Community Supports Child Travel Safety

Next Wednesday morning, middle school and elementary students across Columbia will participate in a special event: Walk & Roll to School Day. This event will be sponsored by local participants in the Safe Routes To School initiative, a new community partnership between the City of Columbia, local schools, parents and students.

This is not Columbia's first effort to improve bicycle safety for its younger citizens, however. Local efforts have already launched two noteworthy efforts:

Safety Town is a child accident prevention program that introduces safety awareness and prevention procedures to children between the ages of 5 and 7. The program uses a simulated town layout, classroom facility and off campus field trip. Children learn safety procedures through their own involvement under the guidance of a police officer, fire fighters, paramedics, certified teachers and trained volunteers. Children practice and experience "real life" situations before confronted with situations on their own. In accordance with their age and maturity, children are trained to evaluate "safe from unsafe" and learn how to react safely when confronted with dangerous situations.

Joseph Cangas, M.D., a pediatrician at Illini Pediatrics in Columbia and an avid bicyclist, received the American Medical Association’s Young Physician Section Community Service Award in 2007 for his ongoing work as “the helmet doctor.” In May, 2005, he launched the Helmets First!program. Dr. Cangas gives presentations--and free bike helmets--to school and community groups on an average of once a week. He has organized bicycle rodeos in five Illinois communities, and the Waterloo, Columbia and Salem police departments are handing out rewards to kids wearing helmets. And, Dr. Cangas always is available to properly fit helmets at his office.