Kendall Costello Safety CampaignSecuring the Safety of Southlake’s Cyclists
Initiative for Updated Helmet Law and Safety Awareness Campaign
Kendall Costello
.
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Agenda
My background
Current Southlake population, traffic, and cycling information
Why we need an extended helmet ordinance
What we can do better educate and enforce existing legislation
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My Background
Southlake Resident and Student
Deeply impacted by a cycling tragedy earlier this year
Extensive research on the subject
Feel that we as a community can do a better job of:
Legislation
Education
Enfo
rcement
Proposals & recommendations
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Southlake- A Growing Community
Population Approaching 30,000
New Shopping Centers Along Southlake Boulevard
Increased population and retail shops means more traffic on Southlake streets
(Last and Lind)
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Southlake Survey
According to a city conducted survey, citizens were asked what is the most important issue facing Southlake. Almost everyone had a similar response:
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(2013 Citizen Satisfaction Survey Verbatim Comments)
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Danger on the Road for Cyclists
Increased traffic means increased susceptibility for accidents
Auto-Bike accidents are some of the most fatal
FATALITIES
From 2009 to 2013 nationwide bicycle fatalities have increased
by 18%
INJURIES
According the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:
500,000 people are treated annually for cycling related injuries
Amounts to $5 billion in lifetime medical
costs for Americans
See Appendix A
(Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Highway Loss Data Institute)
See Appendix B
(Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center)
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Our Current Helmet Law
Southlake has a bicycle helmet ordinance for children ages 14 and under.
15 -- 17 year-olds are in fatal bicycle accidents at the same rate at 4 -- 5 year olds
(“Bicycle Helmet Laws”)
See Appendix C
(Tracy et.al)
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Benefits of Helmet Usage
An impact at 30 MPH is the equivalent of falling off a 30-foot building
See Appendix D
(Alzheimer’s Association, Ellis)
Wearing a bike helmet can reduce your risk of head injury by
85%
David Spain, chief of trauma and critical care surgery at Stanford University Medical Center
Helmet usage for minors amounts to saving over 250 lives and prevents more than 500,000
injuries nationwide
Every $10 helmet generates $570 in benefits to society
("Bicycle Safety Educational Efforts at Stanford” and National Injury and Violence Prevention Resource Center)
See Appendix E
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Step 1: Expand Current Law
Expand Southlake’s current Bicycle Helmet Law to encompass below 18 years of age
Proposal
Save lives
Save money
Reduce serious injuries
Align Southlake with adjoining high-traffic communities
(Arlington, Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston)
Benefits
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Our Current Bicycle Safety Education
Most Southlake residents are unaware of current laws
Limited/no engagement with Fire Department
No engagement with local bicycle businesses
No Bicycle Safety posts on FaceBook page in
past year
Recent back-to-school safety post mentioned nothing about bicyclists or helmets
No bicycle safety emails
We can do better!
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Step 2: Improve Bicycle Safety Education Efforts
Expand Southlake’s Current Bicycle Helmet Education Efforts, by:
Tasking Police/Fire Departments with annual education campaigns at schools
Engaging local businesses and our Fire Department
to support efforts to make sure parents have proper helmets for their kids
See Appendix E
(State of New York Department of Health)
Schedule at least 3 major bicycle safety campaigns
per year (spring, summer, back-to-school)
Facebook, emails, press releases, etc.
Proposal
Improve helmet compliance
Reduce injuries, deaths, and costs
Benefits
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Step 3: Actively Enforce Helmet Laws
Enforce Southlake’s current and/or expanded bicycle helmet laws
Reminders
Warnings for parents with younger children
Teen court for adolescents
Press Releases and announcement of program
similar to “Click it or Ticket” seat belt campaign
Proposal
Drive awareness of current/future legislation
Improve helmet compliance
Benefits
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Safety & Awareness Campaign
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Conclusion
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Thank You!
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Appendix
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A - Danger on the Road for Cyclists
Increased traffic implies increased susceptibility for accidents
Auto-Bike accidents are some of the most fatal
Bicycling fatalities generally increase as a city grows
In 2013, 68% of
bicyclists were killed in urban areas, compared with 32% in rural areas
*Total includes other and/or unknowns
Bicyclist Deaths by Land Use 2009-2013
(Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Highway Loss Data Institute)
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B - Cycling Accidents on the Rise
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration here are several stats reflecting the nature of cycling accidents:
Annually, 500,000 persons are treated in emergency
departments for cycling related injuries/fatalities
Data suggests that fatal and non-fatal crash-related injuries to bicyclists resulted in lifetime medical costs of $5 billion
Texas,
along with California and Florida, led the nation in cycling fatalities
Injuries:
- Bicyclist Injuries in 2001: 45,000
- Bicyclist Injuries in 2011: 48,000
An increase of 6.7%
Deaths
- Bicyclist Deaths in 2011: 682
- Bicyclist deaths in 2013: 743
An increase of 8.9%
(Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center)
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C - Step 1: Demographics
Average age of bicyclists killed in crashes with motor vehicles is increasing
Approximately equivalent numbers of teenagers ages 16-18 are injured as children ages 4-5 are from bicycling.
(Tracy et.al)
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D - Effects of Head Injury
(Alzheimer’s Association, Ellis)
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E - Benefits of Helmet Usage
Health Benefits
According to David Spain, chief of trauma and critical care surgery at Stanford University Medical Center, wearing a bike helmet can reduce your risk of head injury by
85 percent
Facial injuries are also prevented through helmet usage; injuries to the upper and mid facial areas are reduced 65 percent
Helmet usage for minors amounts to saving over
250 lives and prevents more than 500,000 injuries nationwide
Costs Saved
Compared to the dollar and personal costs of brain injury, helmets are inexpensive insurance
Every $10 helmet
generates $570 in benefits to society; these savings include $50 in medical costs and other tangible resources, $140 in future earnings, and $380 in quality of life costs
("Bicycle Safety Educational Efforts at Stanford” and National Injury and Violence Prevention Resource Center)
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F - Check Proper Helmet Usage
(State of New York Department of Health)
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G - Step 3: Safety Instruction
Helmets are only one piece of the puzzle. We need to induce safer riding skills for children and adolescents. Rules like the following should be sent to all members of the community:
(Ten Smart Rules to Bike Safety)
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H - Step 5: Assessment
Annually, Southlake’s Safety Department may reconvene and address the benefits/ drawbacks to the newly implemented helmet ordinance and safety campaign
Data to consider include:
demographics
of helmet users
awareness of helmet law
degree of implementation
injuries prevented
lives saved
Potential readjustments will be made for the oncoming year
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Works Cited
Alzheimer's Association National Office. "Traumatic Brain Injury."Traumatic Brain Injury. Alzheimer's Association
National Office, 2015. Web. 3 Aug. 2015.
"Bike Helmets Save
Lives! & It's the Law!" Bike Helmets Save Lives! & It's the Law! State of New York Department of
Health, Mar. 1995. Web. 11 Aug. 2015. Revised November 2011
Bicycle Helmet
Laws." Bicycle Helmet Laws. Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute, 20 July 2015. Web. 11 Aug. 2015.
"Bicycle Safety Educational Efforts at Stanford." Bicycle Safety Educational Efforts at
Stanford. Stanford University, n.d.
Web. 11 Aug. 2015
Ellis, M.D., John W. "Ellis Clinic." Ellis Clinic. N.p., 2000. Web. 17 July 2015.
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety,
and Highway Loss Data Institute. "Pedestrians and Bicyclists." Fatality Facts.
N.p., 1996. Web. 9 Aug. 2015.
Last, Greg, and Jill Lind. "Southlake, Texas City Overview."
City of Southlake Department of Economic Development,
17 Apr. 2013. Web. 12 July 2015.
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC). "Home and Recreational Safety." Centers
for Disease
Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 28 May 2013. Web. 11 Aug. 2015.
National Injury and Violence Prevention Resource Center. Bicycle
Helmets Save Medical Costs for Children (n.d.): n.
pag. Health Resources and Services Administration's Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Web. 21 July 2015.
Ramirez, Domingo,
Jr. "Teen Dies in Southlake Bicycle Accident." WFAA. N.p., 8 Apr. 2015. Web. 11 Aug. 2015.
"Ten Smart Rules to Bike Safety." BikeMadison. City of Madison, Wisconsin, 1995. Web. 25 July
2015.
Tracy, Elisabeth T., Brian R. Englum, Andrew S. Barbas, Carolyn Foley, Henry E. Rice, and Mark L. Shapiro. "Pediatric
Injury Patterns by Year of Age." Journal of Pediatric
Surgery. U.S. National Library of Medicine, June 2013. Web.
27 July 2015.
Tracy Unified School District. "What Is the California Bicycle Helmet Law?"What Is the California
Bicycle Helmet
Law? (n.d.): n. pag. Web. 29 July 2015.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center within the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center,
David B. Allison, Kevin R. Fountaine, JoAnn E. Manson, June Stevens, Theodore B. VanItallie, and Ali K. Mokdad.
"DATA & RESOURCES." Pedestrian & Bicycle Information
Center. U.S. Department of Transportation Federal
Highway Administration, 19 Jan. 2005. Web. 1 Aug. 2015.
2013 Citizen Satisfaction Survey Verbatim Comments." CIty of Southlake,
2013. Web. 15 July 2015.
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