Leithf ield pupils given bike lights
Pupils at Leithfield School were among the first Canterbury and West Coast kids to receive bicycle lights that will help them stay safe and seen.
Five hundred light sets, which include front and rear units, have been donated to schools through a partnership between the Automobile Association’s Canterbury/ West Coast District Council and Davis Ogilvie & Partners – Engineers, Surveyors and Planners, to promote safer cycling in the community. The initiative is called Be Safe, Be Seen.
Leithfield School principal Rob Cavanagh said the school was pleased to be part of a push that promoted a safe environment for young cyclists.
‘‘We are very happy to support an initiative that increases the safety of our tamariki when biking to school and around our community. A number of our students bike to school each day, including a few who bike across a busy state highway. ‘‘
Canterbury AA District Council chairman John Skevington was pleased to be helping young cyclists stay safe while out and about. ‘‘We want these lights to make the kids more visible to other road users, giving everyone more time to react before potentially dangerous situations unfold. Hopefully it will get the students thinking about safety. Road safety awareness is a lifelong journey and applies to all forms of transport. There’s no better place to start creating awareness than in schools.’’
Elliot Duke, a director at Davis Ogilvie, said the firm was thrilled to be involved in the project.
‘‘As keen cyclists ourselves we believe that cycle safety should be
everyone’s top priority. This is a fantastic initiative in helping to reduce the risk of accidents and injuries and encourage students to be seen when riding their bikes to and from school.’’
The AA and Davis Ogilvie have partnered with the Police who are distribute 500 sets of lights to schools around Canterbury
and the West Coast. Skevington was hopeful more lights could be given out to students under the Be Safe, Be Seen initiative in the future.