Bike Officers
Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs are typically organized at the individual school level or among a cluster of schools or school districts. As a Bike Officer, you know better than anyone, the challenges and hazards of dealing with traffic as a vulnerable road user. You are in a unique position to assist children with bicycle and pedestrian safety issues. You can be a catalyst for helping a school community fully engage in Safe Routes to School.
Ways to Get Involved:
- Be a SRTS team member by providing needed enforcement operations for the SRTS program such as speed control, yielding to pedestrians, student jaywalking, and driver adherence with school drop-off and pick-up procedures.
- Provide daily or periodic police presence during school access hours at identified problem areas (traffic safety or personal security concerns).
- Educate drivers (including parents!) about unsafe and unacceptable driving practices around the school.
- Organize or participate in a bicycle rodeo for students to learn about bicycle safety through an on-bike experience.
- Help a local SRTS steering committee assess bicycle and pedestrian safety and personal security around the school and in surrounding neighborhoods.
- Talk at a Walk to School Day event or assembly about bicycle and pedestrian safety.
- Review the Facts about bicycle and pedestrian safety to help you prepare.
- Talking Points: Addressing Parents
Finding Funding:
Depending on your level of involvement and the extent of your program's SRTS activities, you may want to seek federal funds or assist others in doing so. Click here for more information on funding for SRTS programs.
Note: Under the Federal SRTS program, States are authorized to fund only those activities that are directed towards students in grades k–8 and within two miles of the school site.