CAPITAL COEXIST TRAFFIC SAFETY AMBASSADOR PROGRAM GUIDEBOOK Contents

How to Use This Guide 3 Walking School Bus 4 Safe Routes to School 5 Young Driver Safety Education 6 “Slow Down”/ “Stop for Pedestrians” Campaign 7 Group Bike Ride 8 Motorcycle Skills Training 9 Skills Training 10 “Pop-Up” Events 11 Pilot and “Pop-Up” Projects 12 Safety Town 14 Development of Educational Materials 15 Helmet Reward Program 16 Photo References 17 How to Use This Guide

This guide is intended to serve as a resource while brain-storming ways to improve safety and multi-modal transportation in your community. We encourage individuals and officials to consider these and many other ideas while applying for mini-grants through Capital Coexist, and to also utilize these ideas for other events and campaigns in general. Great projects should include plans for branding and community participation at every possible opportunity!

3 Walking School Bus

A walking school bus is a group of children walking to school with one or more adults. An eligible walking school bus project should be structured as a route with meeting points, a simple timetable, and a schedule of trained volunteers. The project should include education and instruction on safe walking and crossing roadways. A variation on the walking school bus is a bicycle train, which includes trained volunteers that supervise children riding their bikes to school.

4 Safe Routes to School

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a national safety effort supported by New York State. SRTS projects can teach pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers about traffic safety while creating awareness about walking to school. SRTS projects can be related to engineering safer routes for student pedestrians, enforcement of traffic laws, encouragement, and/or education. The appropriate audiences for SRTS education can include children, parents, drivers, and neighbors. All proposed SRTS projects must have agreement from a school or district to participate in the project.

5 Young Driver Safety Education

Young drivers are often involved in more crashes than more experienced drivers. CDTC supports young driver education programs that promote improved safety, awareness around bicyclists and pedestrians, and reduced driving while impaired. One example is “Choices” – an Albany County Sheriff’s Office education program targeting impaired driving, drug use, and addiction. “Choices” is a free three hour program for 8th graders and older. It is currently offered to area school districts as a field trip.

6 “Slow Down” or “Stop for Pedestrians” Campaign

CDTC recognizes that as drivers’ speeds increase, they become more likely to be involved in a crash, and more likely to seriously or fatally injure pedestrians. A proposed “Slow Down” or “Stop for Pedestrians” Campaign would focus on driver behavior and encouraging drivers to be more aware of pedestrians and drive more cautiously. This could include enforcement activities, development of educational materials, a social media campaign, signage, etc.

7 Group Bike Ride

Group bike rides, sometimes referred to as “ rides,” can be used to educate participants about safe , promote bicycle infrastructure, and/or encourage target populations to bike more. All proposed rides funded through the Traffic Safety Ambassador Program must:

• Be insured to conduct group rides and name CDTC, • Require participants to wear helmets, • Be coordinated with local police departments, and • Secure any necessary permits from the municipality

8 Motorcycle Skills Training

Motorcycle safety is an important part of improving traffic safety throughout the Capital Region, and providing motorcycle skills training is a great tool for communities. The New York State Motorcycle Safety Program (NYSMSP) is one program that offers local and statewide motorcycle training courses. NYSMSP expects to train 18,000 motorcyclists per year and operates nearly 40 training sites throughout New York State, including at Hudson Valley Community College. NYSMSP also trains qualified riders who want to become MSF-Certified RiderCoaches.

9 Bicycle Skills Training

A great way to improve bicyclist safety in the Capital Region is to provide and promote bicycle skills training. The League of American Bicyclists offers nationwide cycle instructor certification programs. As more bicyclists in the Capital Region are trained, more “smart bicyclists” can set examples for others. Project sponsors interested in providing a Traffic Skills 101 Course taught by a League Certified Instructor, at no cost to the public, can apply for up $40/per person + the cost of lunch. Additionally, project sponsors can apply for up to $1,000 to train interested persons to be League Certified Instructors that teaches Traffic Skills 101 courses to the public for free, or at a reduced cost.

10 “Pop-Up” Events

A “Pop-Up,” pilot project, or demonstration project is an event that transforms an underutilized space such as an empty shop, a public space, a street, or a park. Project sponsors can apply for funding to host a bicycle and/or pedestrian safety/encouragement themed Pop-Up event. Other examples include:

• Bike maintenance/repair stations • Helmet fittings or bike equipment giveaways • Advocate, instructional, or safety speaker at events • “Open Streets” or Bike Rodeos

11 Pilot and “Pop-Up” Projects

Pilot, “pop-up,” and demonstration projects are excellent ways to promote temporary or interim improvements in locations where a community may wish to see improved pedestrian or bicycle infrastructure. Pop-up projects can be initiated with simple materials like chalk, paint, cones, or plastic bollards. Around the Capital Region, many communities have done pilot bike lane projects, curb extensions, and road diets, like the examples shown here!

Watervliet Road Diet Pilot

12 Schenectady “Pop-Up” Bump Outs

Albany “Pop-Up” Protected Bike Lanes

13 Safety Town

Safety Towns are a popular tool used for educating pre-school or elementary-aged students about how to safely use roads, bike lanes, sidewalks, and crosswalks, among other safety topics. Safety Towns are usually produced in conjunction with schools, libraries, or municipalities, utilizing available space in a parking lot or gymnasium. Safety Towns are often organic endeavors, using available street signs, stencils, paint, , , helmets, and community involvement.

14 Development of Materials

The development of educational materials can be a great way to reach out to target populations about biking, walking, and/ or safety. All materials must incorporate the logo, graphics, and messages used in the Capital Coexist and “See! Be Seen!” safety campaigns. Example projects include:

• Activity, coloring, or comic books related to bicycle and/or pedestrian safety • Photos and/or videos to be used in a social media campaign about bicycle and/or pedestrian safety • Podcasts or smartphone app(s)

15 Helmet Reward Program

A helmet reward program would provide a reward to children who are seen wearing their helmet and obeying applicable traffic laws while bicycling. An example of this is the ongoing Stewart’s partnership with local police departments. Police officers who see children wearing helmets while bicycling can reward the child with a free ice cream cone coupon for Stewart’s Shops!

16 Helmet Reward Program p. 3 Schenectady, NY - Bike Fest with CDTC p. 4 West Union, Iowa - Walking School Bus, NW Iowa Food & Fitness Initiative p. 5 Capital Region, NY - Walking to School p. 6 Albany County Sherriff’s Office “Choices” program, with representatives from Stewart’s Shops p. 7 Ann Arbor, Michigan - Stop for Pedestrians Campaign p. 7 St. Paul, Minnesota - Drivers Stopping at Crosswalks Compliance Signage p. 8 Montreal, Canada - Tour la Nuit: Group Ride p. 9 Motorcycle Safety Skills Course in San Diego; U.S. Navy photo by Deris Jeannette p. 10 Capital Region, NY - Bicycle Skills Training p. 11 Alexandria, Virginia - Velocity Bicycle , Pop-Up Bike Repair Station p. 14 Galion, Ohio - Safety Town p. 15 Schenectady, NY - Bike Fest with CDTC p. 16 Capital Region, NY - Helmet Fitting and Give-away

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