5142.3 BP - Bicycle Safety Policy

Students         
Board Policy No. 5142.3
Policy Adopted: October 20, 2016

Bicycle Safety Policy

Mountain View Whisman School District recognizes the many positive benefits of students and staff cycling to and from school. We therefore look to encourage this form of travel behavior in as many ways as possible.

Some of the benefits of cycling to school include:

  • Promoting independence and safety awareness.
  • Improving health through physical activity.
  • Establishing positive active travel behaviors.
  • Reducing congestion, noise and pollution in the community.
  • Reducing the environmental impact of the journey to school.
  • Reducing chauffeuring requirements on families.

To encourage as many students to cycle to school as possible, the District will:

  • Actively promote cycling as a positive way of travelling.
  • Celebrate the achievements of those who choose to cycle to school.
  • Provide adequate cycle storage on site at each school.
  • Provide high quality cycle training to all pupils who wish to participate.
  • Work with community agencies to offer a low cost helmet program.
  • Suggest safe routes to school.

To make cycling to and from school a positive experience for everybody concerned, we expect our students to:

  • Wear a properly fitted bicycle helmet on their heads at all times while riding per California state law.
  • Take responsibility for checking that their bicycle is roadworthy and regularly maintained. All bikes must have at least one functional brake. Reflectors and lights are required for night riding per California state law.
  • Ride sensibly and safely, following the rules of the road.
  • Focus on riding: no texting, cell phone use, or listening devices while riding.
  • Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.
  • Walk their bikes on campus.
  • Park and lock their bicycles in designated areas. The district is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged bicycles or helmets.
  • Sign the Bicycle Safety Agreement

For the well-being of our Students, we expect parents and guardians to:

  • Encourage their child to take up opportunities to develop their competence and confidence in cycling.
  • Instruct their children on the rules of road safety.
  • Provide their child with properly fitting helmets.
  • Ensure that the cycles ridden to school are roadworthy and regularly maintained. All bicycles must have at least one functional brake and reflectors/lights.
  • Sign the Bicycle Safety Agreement 

The decision as to whether a child is competent to cycle to and from school safely rests with the parents/guardians and the District has no liability for any consequences of that decision.

Website by SchoolMessenger Presence. © 2024 SchoolMessenger Corporation. All rights reserved.