Ventura County Sheriff's Office Ojai Station, the Ventura Unified School District, and the Oak View Park and Resource Center, have designed the Ojai Fall Bike Safety Carnival to address bike safety education needs of Oak View area children. The fall season is an ideal time for this pressing issue as bike riding becomes prevalent among school children, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.
Scheduled for Saturday, October 14, at Oak View Park and Resource Center, this event brings together trained deputies from the Ojai Patrol Station. Their objective will be to engage with the kids, inspect bicycles for requisite safety equipment, and impart knowledge on safe bike operation. A simulated obstacle course to test biking skills will be made available, and for children without bikes or helmets, a limited number will be provided by Ventura Unified School District.
Increased cycling-related accidents and fatalities have been attracting the national attention; witnessed by a 10% increase in bicyclist fatalities reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2018, as per NHTSA report. This concerning trend is driving the need for better cyclist training and education. The Ojai Fall Bike Safety Carnival is a local effort to enhance bicycle safety awareness and reduce accidents and injuries among the youth residents of Oak View area.
Post-Carnival, attendees are expected to take to understand how to safely navigate the roads while also deepening their engagement with local entities including the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, the Ventura Unified School District, and the Oak View Park and Resource Center. By providing a secure environment for children to learn while having fun, the Carnival also aims to supplemented community engagement and mutual growth.
For additional information or to attend the Ojai Fall Bike Safety Carnival, please contact the Ojai Police Department at (805) 646-1414 or the Ventura Unified School District at (805) 641-5000.
