MPD Receives Bicycle Helmet Award, Offers Free to Community

The was awarded 48 bicycle helmets earlier this week as part of the 2011 statewide bicycle safety grant program.

"We are pleased to receive these helmets to enhance our bicycle safety efforts in Marlborough," said Chief Mark Leonard.  “The helmets will be distributed at no cost in our community.”  

The helmets will be given out Saturday, June 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. during Family Fun Day at .

Massachusetts law requires any child 16 years of age or younger operating in-line skates, a skate board, scooter, bicycle, or other manually-propelled wheeled vehicle or riding as a passenger on any manually-propelled vehicle on a public way or bicycle path to wear a properly fitted and fastened helmet.

Bicyclists are considered vehicle operators, and thus must obey the rules of the road such as traffic signs and signals, said a release. When riding in the street, bicyclists should ride in the same direction as traffic. Drivers and pedal cyclists must share the roads safely. Cyclists should wear reflective gear and ensure that they are highly visible to motorists, especially at night. 

According to NHTSA, six of the 334 total traffic fatalities in Massachusetts in 2009 were pedal cyclists. Nationwide, cyclists under age 16 accounted for 13 percent of the total killed and 20 percent of all those injured in vehicular traffic crashes in 2009.

Funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and distributed through the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Highway Safety Division (EOPSS-HSD), the program will provide more than 2,900 helmets to 68 communities and organizations for free distribution this spring and summer. 

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