WELLFLEET – The Cape Cod National Seashore’s Bike Safety Committee will host bike safety events next month to provide awareness and reduce the occurrence and severity of bike accidents at the national seashore.
This is the ninth year in a row the events will be held.
“Every year we medevac cyclist with serious head injuries to Boston hospitals,” said Cape Cod National Seashore Superintendent Brian Carlstrom.
“We need to get the word out about how to bike safely on Cape Cod, we’re partnering with towns and businesses on the Outer Cape to sponsor events that encourage safe practices and teach young people and parents that it’s cool to wear a helmet, and it’s the law.”
The events were started due to the lack of bicycle riders wearing helmets on the Seashore’s bike paths.
“We have always had a major safety issue in this park with people not wearing helmets and we’ve had some major accidents on our bike paths because of that,” said bike safety events co-founder Brent Ellis.
Ellis, who is a ranger for the National Seashore, started the events nine years ago with his partner Nicole Taylor.
“The original concept was getting helmets on people in the park,” Ellis continued.
“It has been incredibly successful, we see so many more helmets then we did nine years ago.”
All events are free and open to the public and they feature helmet fittings, fun activities for kids, bicycle safety checks, and educational displays.
Prizes for participation, such as helmets, bike accessories, and coupons may be available while supplies last.
Educational topics will include how to fit a helmet properly, preparing for a ride with an ABC bicycle quick check, the consequences of a bicycle crash, and interesting facts about bicycle safety at the seashore.
The events also promotes the fitness benefits of bicycling.
Support for the bike safety events is provided by Friends of the Cape Cod National Seashore, volunteers, local bike shops, Ben and Jerry’s, and Outer Cape towns.
The safety events are set to take place Friday, August 2nd at Province Lands Visitor Center in Provincetown and Friday, August 9th at Salt Pond Visitor Center in Eastham.
Both events will run from 10 a.m. to noon.
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