Humboldt Police create free bicycle safety course for kids

HUMBOLDT, Ks. (KOAM) - Riding a bike is an exciting experience for many kids, allowing them to again a little bit of independence.

"You don't have to stay at home you can go places. You have freedom," says Kamrin, 10.

But riding a bike can be risky for kids.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration , in 2021 38 kids were killed while riding a bike. That same year, more than 5,000 were injured.

That's why Humboldt School Resource Officer Sgt. Tyrone Wooden became concerned when he noticed kids in his community being unsafe on the road.

"I had probably four the other day, that was I just patrolling around town, and I had to pull over and stop and say, hey, you need to start riding your bike right," says Wooden. "You're going to come to this bike safety event they're putting on tomorrow morning. And the parents are all for it."

Sgt. Wooden and the Humboldt Police Department organized a free bicycle safety course for kids of all ages to attend. The course teaches attendees how to be cautious on the roads and how to interact with traffic.

Completion of the course earns a certificate and a free helmet.

"You have the little kids that are already riding bikes without training wheels.  And you never know, they could wreck and they couldn't. If they're really good at it, they couldn't wreck," says attendee Brody, 10.

And it's not just bikers who need to be safe on the road.

"It is actually is everybody's, everybody has a role in this. if the kids know how to ride their bike and the drivers know what ages are riding bikes and how to get over, how to slow down. I mean, everybody has a role in this," says Sgt. Wooden. "Everybody has a role in safety. Everybody's a safety officer. So that's how we look at it."

Participants at the training say it's a great feeling knowing that kids like them are going to be safer on the road.

"It makes me feel good now that more kids would be paying way more, better attention after this probably," says attendee Laynee, 10.

For officers like Sgt. Wooden, it's a relief to know that kids will be a little bit safer.

"It's a big weight off my shoulder knowing that they've got the right tools now to ride around town, ride to the gas station if they need to, ride to a friend's house, and knowing that they're doing everything safe to not get hit," says Sgt. Wooden.

The Humboldt Police Department says they hope to hold another bicycle safety class next month as part of the town's Third Saturday activities .

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