Cycling to school
Denefield School is happy to support parents in encouraging their children to cycle to school. There are a number of advantages for our students:
• General fitness – with half of children estimated to exercise for less than the recommended hour per day, regular daily exercise could help reduce obesity, keep children fit and help them avoid health problems later on in life.
• Road congestion – 20% of car trips during rush hour are attributed to the 'school run'. The number of children driven to school has doubled in the last 20 years, and reducing traffic around the school will also make it safer for other students.
• Pollution – the polar caps are melting and the race is on to reduce carbon emissions. Rising petrol prices also means reducing car trips will help with household bills.
• Self confidence – being responsible for getting themselves to school and navigating traffic will help boost students' sense of independence.
• Academic performance – many schools have reported that students are more alert in lessons. Studies in the US and UK have also found a direct link between regular exercise and academic performance.
Road education is available to all students at Denefield appropriate to their ages and stages of development. The school can also organise ‘Bikeability’ cycle training to give students the skills and confidence to ride their bikes on today’s roads. Please contact the school if you would like your child to receive this training; there is a nominal charge for this externally delivered course.
Cycle helmets
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) recommends that all cyclists wear a cycle helmet that meets a recognised safety standard. Cycle helmets, when correctly worn, are effective in reducing the risk of receiving major head or brain injuries in an accident.
It is recognised that helmets do not guarantee protection for the wearer, nor prevent accidents from happening in the first place. The most effective ways of reducing cyclist accidents and casualties are to improve the behaviour of drivers, improve the behaviour of cyclists and to provide safer cycling environments. However, wearing a cycle helmet is a simple, low cost and effective way that individual cyclists can protect themselves.
Surveys in 2000, showed that only 22% of cyclists on major built-up roads wear helmets. Education and publicity measures to promote the use of cycle helmets should continue.
RoSPA does not believe that it is practical to make the use of cycle helmets mandatory because voluntary wearing rates are too low. Should compulsory cycle helmet legislation be considered in the future, it should be based on evidence that cycle helmets are effective in reducing cyclist casualties, and on evidence that voluntary use is sufficiently high for enforcement of the law to be practical. As cycling provides health and environmental benefits, the likely effect of such legislation on cycle use should also be assessed.
Use of cycle lights at night
Cyclists riding in the dark without adequate lights and reflectors are at greater risk of being involved in a road accident. Therefore, when riding in the dark, all cyclists should use front and rear lights (and have a rear reflector fitted) as required by law. They should also have front, pedal and wheel reflectors fitted to the bicycle and wear something fluorescent and reflective.
Accident data indicates that more cyclists are likely to be involved in an accident during daylight hours. Therefore, daytime visibility is just as, if not more, important than the issue of cycle lights. Cyclists should wear bright, preferably fluorescent and reflective, clothing and accessories.
Further information
There is further advice on safe cycling on the RoSPA website: search under Road Safety and then go to the Cycling link.