Safety Awareness Contest puts
emphasis on wheeled vehicles

The Monroe County Office of Traffic Safety, together with the Rochester General Hospital Association and TWIGS, announce the 16th annual Wheeled Vehicle Safety Awareness Contest. The contest is designed to promote wheeled vehicle safety among children. Wheeled vehicles include bicycles, scooters, skateboards, in-line and roller skates. The contest is open to all kindergarten through sixth grade students in Monroe County.

Students in kindergarten through third grade compete in a coloring contest. Kindergarten to second grade students color a safety picture and third graders draw a picture showing children being safe and wearing a helmet. Students in grades four through six compete in a writing contest. The writing contest consists of submitting an essay, song or poem about wheeled vehicle safety and the importance of wearing helmets.

For their safety, it is imperative that children use helmets and wear protective equipment consisting of elbow pads, kneepads and wrist guards. Nationally in 2001, 134 children ages 14 and under died in bicycle-related crashes. In 2002, nearly 289,000 were treated in hospital emergency rooms for bicycle-related injuries.

Last year, over 5,800 entries were received in the competition, with 28 grand prize winners and 472 first-place winners. This year's grand prize winners receive a new bicycle and helmet. The first-place winners receive a bicycle helmet.

The Monroe County Office of Traffic Safety, and Rochester General Hospital Association and TWIGS sponsors the program. The Association donates the bicycles and helmets for all the winners.

Families can download an entry form at www.monroecounty.gov by clicking on Public Safety and then Traffic Safety or from area elementary schools. The deadline to enter the contest is April 2. Completed entries should be returned to the following address: 2004 Wheeled Vehicle Safety Awareness Contest, Monroe County Office of Traffic Safety, City Place, 33 N. Fitzhugh Street, Suite 2100, Rochester, NY 14614-1245.

Parents and schools can also contact Jean Triest, Monroe County Office of Traffic Safety, at 428-4903 for information.