Last week, Princeton Middle School students participated in ‘bike assemblies’, featuring safety experts from Greater Mercer TMA and the Princeton Police Department. The goal of the sessions was to learn about the shared responsibility of navigating the community’s streets. Whether students travel by foot, traditional bicycle, or e-bike, the bike assemblies aimed to emphasize that safety begins with taking personal ownership of one’s actions on the road.
The sessions were led by Kathleen Ebert, a Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety coordinator from Greater Mercer TMA, and Sgt. Luis Navas from the Princeton Police. A primary focus of the presentations was the critical relationship between speed and safety. Students learned that with increased speed comes a significantly higher risk of severe injury. As e-bikes and e-scooters become more popular, riders must remain vigilant about their velocity, ensuring they have ample time to react to unexpected hazards.
Key takeaways for the student body included:
- Road Responsibility: Every person on the road, regardless of their mode of transport, has a legal and moral duty to follow traffic laws.
- Watch Your Speed: High speeds reduce reaction time and intensify the impact of crashes.
- Look Out for Others: Drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians must coexist. Always look twice for others, especially at intersections and crosswalks.
The hope is that by mastering these safety fundamentals, students can enjoy their independence while keeping themselves and their neighbors safe. The bike assemblies seem particularly important, given the current attention given to the risks of e-bikes (Report: “NJ State Legislators Advance Bill To Require Licensing, Insurance, Registration Of Low-Speed E-bikes“)
Princeton Police have been particularly active in street safety education this fall, also participating in the ‘Street Smart NJ’ campaign in October.
Related materials:
walkableprinceton 