Look both ways, ride safe, and rock that helmet!

Kids of all ages hit the pavement at East Middle School's Bicycle Rodeo — a fun-filled event with a serious message: safety first.

“Five minutes — even five seconds — put the helmet on, because you never know what’s going to happen,” said Amanda Greenough.

At the event, students got a crash course in safety — but without the crashes. Designed to promote bicycle safety and raise awareness about summer recreation hazards, the rodeo featured an obstacle course where kids could test their skills in a safe, supervised environment.

“We want to promote bicycle safety and overall safety awareness for summer recreation,” Saxon Daugherty explained. “So, you see behind me, we have a kind of obstacle course — a safety course — for the kids to run through, He added.”

The event welcomed participants of all ages — from toddlers to teens, and even a few parents — with strong support from community organizations. UPMC Hamot, Safe Kids, PennDOT, and more than a dozen other partners teamed up to make the day a success.

Amanda Greenough, a trauma program clinician at UPMC Hamot for 17 years, knows how quickly things can go wrong. “We see bike-related injuries all the time,” she said. “When the summer weather is nice, everybody’s out — and we see it from little kids all the way to grown and geriatric adults.”

According to PennDOT, nearly 1,300 bicycle-related crashes occurred in Pennsylvania last year — 19 of them were fatal.

That’s why Saxon Daugherty, Safety Press Officer with PennDOT, says events like this are essential.

“Ultimately, the goal is to be proactive rather than reactive,” Daugherty said. “We want kids — and adults alike — to be prepared when they’re riding their bikes.”