The Indiana Department of Transportation joined with Fishers Fire and Emergency Services on Oct. 5 to provide elementary students in Hamilton Southeastern Schools with bicycle helmets through INDOT’s Bike IN Safe program.
Bike IN Safe is a program funded through the Federal Highway Administration. It is a way for elementary schools and state and local officials to help make bike safety equipment more accessible to students. INDOT Stakeholder Services Director Adelle DuSold said the program is statewide and any elementary school can apply through bikesafeindiana.com.
DuSold said a $1.2 million federal grant paid for 75,000 helmets to distribute to local schools. So far, she said, 60 schools have collectively received close to 20,000 helmets in the east central district.
INDOT recently partnered with Fishers Fire and Emergency Services and Hamilton Southeastern Schools to make adolescent cyclists more safe.
“They were made aware that INDOT had this program,” DuSold said. “They saw a need in their community and INDOT was happy to partner.”
During the Oct. 5 event, first- and second-grade students at Fishers Elementary School, 11442 Lantern Rd., received helmets made of whiteboard material that allows wearers to use dry-erase markers to personalize them. DuSold taught the children how to properly wear the helmets and gave general safety tips.
Fishers Elementary School Principal Brian Behrman, who was in a cycling accident this past July, said his experience made him more adamant about bicycle safety awareness. He was excited to hear that INDOT would be giving away helmets.
“It’s just valuable to me to know that all of our kids are going to be safe,” Behrman said. “I see kids in our neighborhood riding their bikes without helmets all of the time.”
