 |
Safe Bicycling:
Organizational Strategies |
|
National Bike Month……………..May
Bike to Work Week……………….May 12-16, 2008
Bike to Work Day…………………May 16, 2008
Drive Safely to Work Week……..October 6-10, 2008
Promote Workplace Bicycle Safety Programs Around
Timely Events
Communities, cities, towns, campuses and businesses across the country welcome spring each year with a renewed commitment to cycling. The high-profile celebration of cycling is a great way to get first-timers to give cycling a try. Each May thousands of employees participate in Bike to Work Week and show their support for bicycling as a clean, fun and healthy way to get to work. Bike to Work Week encourages commuters to try bicycling to work as an alternative to solo driving.
Many communities participate in Bike to Work Week and Bike to Work Day with a variety of events encouraging commuters to use pedal power to get to work. Find out what is happening in your community and how you can get your organization involved. This is also an excellent time to launch new initiatives at your place of business.
Surveys conducted by communities have reported that nearly 40 percent of those who participated in Bike to Work Week event were first time cycling commuters and of those, 32 percent have continued to bike to work since the event.
Below are several nationally observed events that you can build on or use to launch a Bicycle Safety Program within your organization.
- National Bike Month – Observed in May, this awareness month is designated by the League of American Bicyclists and recognized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The campaign includes fact sheets, a poster, and PSAs that can be used in the workplace. To access the materials, visit www.bikemonth.com.
- Bike to Work Week (BTWW) or Bike to Work Day (BTWD) - This week or day is hosted in partnership with the League of American Bicyclists (LAB) and local cycling organizations, civic organizations and employers across the country. Visit www.bikeleague.org to see what is being planned in your location and to download the LAB’s Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Successful National Bike Month athttp://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bikemonth/pdf/2008_bmok.pdf.
- Drive Safely Work Week is sponsored by the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) each year during the first full week in October. Observed by employers and organizations nationwide, the campaign helps employers promote safe driving practices within their place of business and keep the nation’s roadways safe for all roadway users. Campaign materials are available in July each year to download at no cost via the NETS website at www.trafficsafety.org.
How Your Organization Can Participate in Bike to Work Events
Choose from the events and activities listed below that are suitable for your workforce. Provide the factual tip sheets that are available and utilize the video clips to raise awareness about safe cycling.
The events or activities that you select for your workplace this year will depend on the size of your organization, the resources available and the interest and enthusiasm of those within the organization. Your involvement may range from putting up posters announcing your city or community’s events or you may stage a major informational event with a series of lunch and learn interactive sessions on safe cycling.. You may simply bring in bagels for cycling commuters. It doesn’t have to be complicated
Local businesses have been quick to support the effort. Organizers planned a campaign to make bikers, pedestrians and motorists more aware of their rights and responsibilities in traffic.
- Appoint a Bike-to-Work Coordinator to pull together fun and informative events that will be helpful to your employees and their families. Employers may also want to tap into and support BTWW efforts that are being planned by bicycle advocacy groups and bike clubs within their community.
- Put a Bike-to-Work planning team together. This may become an ongoing Bicycle Users Group (BUG) that can continue year-round to plan and implement bicycle-friendly events and initiatives.
- Become familiar with the comprehensive Bike-to-Work Guides that are available online.
A number of bicycle advocacy groups in cities and communities throughout the country have put together very detailed and helpful guides to BTWW or BTWD. Others can be located with an online search.
- Increase Awareness at Your Workplace about Bike-to-Work Events
Bike-to -Work events offer employees the knowledge they need to start biking to work with confidence. The idea is to spread the word about the fun and benefits of cycling to work and help new commuters with their first steps. Let employees know through using available internal communications mechanisms: intranet, company newsletter, email, banners, bulletin boards, paycheck stuffers, lobby displays, cafeteria kiosks or tables, parking garages, bulletin boards, etc.
Create a customized flyer that describes the specific activities and events at your worksite. Don’t forget to toot your own horn and issue a press release publicizing your intentions. The media loves to cover community-oriented and environmentally –friendly business involvement.
- Consider Giveaways and Safety Incentives
Never underestimate the impact that T-shirts, books, CDs, videos, bike equipment, gift certificates and other cycling gear and incentives have on an event. Work with the BUG to determine what incentives are appropriate and motivating for employees.
- Bicycle Safety Comes First
Employees confident they know how to ride safely and that the commuter route that they’ve chosen is safe, are much more likely to cycle to work. Use every resource to drive home the safety message. Information and incentives can never replace individual responsibility.
- Register Bike Commuters to document your employees’ participation in Bike-to-Work and recognize their efforts. Take a group photo and display it prominently.
- Publicize Bike-to-Work through a company newsletter, payroll insert, email blasts, Intranet, posters, flyers, etc. Hang a banner welcoming commuters. Create a customized flyer that describes the specific activities and events at your worksite. Don’t forget to too your own horn and issue a press release publicizing your intentions. The media like to cover community-oriented and environmentally –friendly business involvement.
- Hold a Breakfast for Bike-to-Work Commuters
A company breakfast encourages your employees to ride and boosts morale. It’s also a good way to demonstrate corporate concern for your employees’ health and fitness and the environment. Hold drawings for safety incentives. Give special recognition for the longest distance biked, oldest/most interesting bicycle, bicyclist who came from transit station farthest from work, etc. Invite seasoned commuters from your organization or community to speak.
- Host a Lunch and Learn Program
There are many knowledgeable cyclists who would be pleased to teach safe cycling classes, run workshops, offer advice and answer employees’ questions. There may be seasoned cyclists within your own organization that would be able to present a 30 minute program or staff from a local bike shop may be available. Topics include:
- Rules of the road
- Bike selection, fit and maintenance
- Bicycle clothing basics
- Bike education and helmets
- ABC Quick Check
- Navigating traffic safely
- Host a Bike to Work Safety Fair
Invite local bicycle vendors and clubs to participate. Raffle off a bicycle and cycling gear to all participants who pledge to ride to work at least once during Bike-to-Work events. Distribute information about bicycle commuting. Invite local bicycling and commuter advocates, bike shops, and fitness and wellness groups.
- Host a Bike to Work Pit Stop
Adopt a Bike-to-Work event in your community. Provide light refreshments and water to commuters as they cycle to work. Hand out T-shirts or other safety incentives. Help to make Bike-to-Work a successful event in your community.
Invite employees, customers and friends to join a lunch-time ride. Contact local cycling enthusiasts to help you organize group rides or join a ride that your community bicycle advocates have organized for Bike-to-Work. The fundraising rides have high profiles and you can plug into the resources of the charity to organize the ride.
- Issue a Bike to Work Commuter Challenge to a neighboring employer or among departments within your organization.
- Make The Pedal Power Last
One of the reasons to dedicate a week to cycling to work is to focus on a healthy activity that could become a habit and set the stage for an ongoing cycling activity. Plan to promote cycling throughout the summer months and continue with participation in Drive Safely Work Week in October.
|
Bicycle Safety Home |
