Bike Safety Outreach
Breakstone, White & Gluck Donates Children’s Bicycle Helmets for Lexington Bike Walk ‘n Bus Week
Cyclists of all ages came out strong for Lexington’s Bike Walk ‘n Bus Week in May. Breakstone, White & Gluck was pleased to donate bicycle helmets to children who needed one at events such as the Bike Smart Class for fourth- and fifth-graders and the Bike Art Contest. With each helmet given, children and parents were shown how to properly fit them on their own.
We are also happy to see these two little cyclists stopped by for a Project KidSafe helmet. Thanks ArtsOffRoad Lexington for sending along the photos.
Photos courtesy: ArtsOffRoad Lexington.
Bike Walk ‘n Bus Week was held from May 14-22 and coincided with Bay State Bike Week. While the rest of the state celebrated cycling, Lexington focused on bicycling, walking and encouraging use of alternate transportation, such as buses.
The organizers were the Lexington Bicycle Advisory Committee, Greenways Corridor and Massachusetts Safe Routes to School. Events included breakfasts, bike rides, a bike parade and bike maintenance workshops.
There are two active committees representing cyclists in Lexington: the Lexington Bicycle Advisory Committee and the Friends of Lexington Bikeways, which coordinated the bicycle helmet donation from Breakstone, White & Gluck. Because of their work and the strong local interest in cycling, Lexington was named a bronze level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Cyclists in 2015.
Breakstone, White & Gluck donated 140 bicycle helmets in Lexington this Spring. It is the third year we have made a donation and it is nice to see the community’s interest. In addition to Bike Walk ‘n Bus Walk Week, Lexington Police gave out bike helmets at Discovery Day on May 28th and showed children and families how to properly fit them.
Breakstone, White & Gluck donated the bicycle helmets as part of our Project KidSafe campaign. Since 2013, we have donated more than 10,000 bicycle helmets to help children prevent head injuries and ride their bicycles safely.
Read about our past events and donations here.
Breakstone, White & Gluck Donates Over 300 Children’s Bicycle Helmets in Westborough, Lexington and Dorchester
These are the days when children just want to be outdoors, riding their bikes. We want them to enjoy the experience and always, always wear a bicycle helmet.
Breakstone, White & Gluck recently made bicycle helmet donations in Westborough, Lexington and Dorchester as part of our Project KidSafe campaign. We are committed to protecting young cyclists and are now in the fourth year of our campaign. Along the way, we have donated over 10,000 bicycle helmets to children who need one, with support from community groups, bicycle safety organizations, police departments and schools which organize bike helmet giveaways.
Wearing a properly fitted bicycle helmet is the best way for cyclists to protect themselves against head injuries from falls and bicycle accidents. Under the law, anyone who is 16 years of age or younger in Massachusetts is required to wear one while riding.
Westborough Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
Attorney David White and Bruce Tretter, Westborough Selectman and Chair of the Westborough Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, with fellow committee members Ellen Gugel and Glenn McLeod, at Spring Festival in Westborough on May 7, 2016.
We recently partnered with the Westborough Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee for a third year and distributed nearly 200 bicycle helmets over two weekends.
On April 30th, 120 children’s bicycle helmets were distributed to families at the Boroughs Family Branch of the YMCA of Central Massachusetts. The giveaway was part of Healthy Kids Day. On May 7th, Attorney David White joined committee members and together distributed about 80 helmets at the Spring Festival, a three-day event sponsored by the Rotary Club of Westborough.
Discovery Day in Lexington
Over Memorial Day, Lexington held its 37th Annual Discovery Day, a chance for residents to enjoy music, food and learn about local businesses and town government. Families also had the opportunity to learn about bicycle safety at the Lexington Police Department tent. Police officers gave away 100 of our Project KidSafe bicycle helmets to children, while also showing them and their parents how to properly fit the helmets.
This was the third year Breakstone, White & Gluck has donated children’s bicycle helmets in the Lexington community. The donations have been arranged by the Friends of the Lexington Bikeways.
UP Academy Dorchester
The UP Academy Dorchester wanted to start a conversation with middle school students about bicycle safety. To help, Breakstone, White & Gluck recently donated bicycle helmets and provided safety literature. The UP Education Network is a non-profit management organization which works to turnaround low-performing schools. It operates three tuition-free schools in Boston and two in Lawrence, serving 2,600 of the state’s historically underserved students. A new academy will open in Springfield next Fall.
The UP Education Network was founded in 2010, the year Massachusetts passed education reform to re-start low performing schools. Once a school district, city or state identifies a school needs a restart, the UP Education Network can take on full management for the school. The academies operate inside – not independent of – school districts.
About Breakstone, White & Gluck
Breakstone, White & Gluck is a Boston personal injury law firm which is committed to the safety of all bicyclists in Massachusetts. We have over 100 years combined experience representing bicyclists injured by the negligence of others. If you, or a member of your family, has been injured in a bicycle incident, please feel free to contact us for a free legal consultation at 800-379-1244 or 617-723-7676 or use our contact form. Thank you and RIDE SAFE!
Bay State Bike Week 2016: Have Fun and Be Safe
Welcome back cyclists! Bay State Bike Week is here and many of you are commuting to work for competition, attending commuter breakfasts, and participating in events to make this work week pass a little faster. The goals are to help protect the environment, reduce traffic congestion, get a little exercise, and have fun with other cyclists.
Attorney David White and Marc Breakstone on Boston City Hall Plaza with our Project KidSafe tent and Project KidSafe helmets during Bay State Bike Week 2015. The event was Bike Friday and it was organized by Boston Bikes.
Breakstone, White & Gluck is pleased to participate as well. On Friday morning, we will join cyclists at the Bike to Work Day event on Boston City Hall Plaza. If you attend, please stop by our Project KidSafe tent and say hello to some of our lawyers! Boston Bikes is organizing the event.
Have fun and, as always, ride safely. Here are a few bicycling safety resources from our lawyers, MassBike, the Boston Cyclists Union, and other organizations:
Massachusetts Bicyclists’ Rights and Responsibilities
Our checklist of rights and responsibilities for bicyclists and motorists. Read more.
Wear a Bicycle Helmet
To help protect children and families, Breakstone, White & Gluck donates children’s bicycle helmets through our Project KidSafe campaign. Over four years, we have given away over 10,000 brand-new helmets to children who need one. Along the way, we often meet parents who want their children to be fitted for a helmet but do not have one of their own.
Every cyclist needs a bicycle helmet to protect themselves from a head injury in a crash. Bay State Bike Week is a good time check your existing helmet to see if it needs to be replaced. If it is worn or cracked, it is time for a new one! Learn how to properly fit a helmet. Here is a video with instruction:
“Shifting Gears: Bicyclists & Public Safety”
This 11-minute video was produced by MassBike, in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Boston Police Department. The video was developed to provide police officers instruction on the laws for cyclists and motorists. But it is a good resource for any cyclist or driver.
Specific topics covered in the video include bicyclists’ right to use the road, dooring, safe passing, yielding to bicyclists on turns, parking in bike lanes, bicyclists’ compliance with rules of the road, hand signals, yielding to pedestrians, lights at night, wrong-way bicycling, and crash investigation.
What Every Massachusetts Bicyclist Needs to Know About Car Insurance
While we hope cyclists are never injured, it can make all the difference in the world to understand how your auto insurance policy works. Many cyclists do not realize this, but you can purchase extra coverage on your auto insurance to protect yourself if you are injured on a bicycle. This is important because there may be times when a driver does not have adequate insurance and you need to rely on your own coverage. Read more.
Facts About Cycling in Massachusetts
We answer questions about lights, hand signals, parking and more. Read more.
Trucks vs. Bikes
The Boston Cyclists Union has published this sheet to educate cyclists on the dangers they face when approached by some large trucks. Please read the sheet so you understand some of the risks.
According to Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, nearly half of all bicyclists and more than one-quarter of pedestrians killed in large truck crashes first impact the side of a truck. When a truck has high clearance, a cyclist can fall in the space between the front and rear wheels.
Mandated sideguard on large trucks have reduced cyclist deaths by 61 percent and serious injuries by 13 percent, according to a Transport for London study.
In October 2014, the City of Boston passed an ordinance, requiring truck sideguards, convex mirrors, blind spot awareness decals for city contracted trucks and tractor-trailers of a certain weight. Many trucks do not have to comply with the law, but this may change in the future. Legislation has been proposed to require truck sideguards statewide.
About Breakstone, White & Gluck
Breakstone, White & Gluck is a Boston personal injury law firm which is committed to the safety of all bicyclists in Massachusetts. We have over 100 years combined experience representing bicyclists injured by the negligence of others. If you, or a member of your family, has been injured in a bicycle incident, please feel free to contact us for a free legal consultation at 800-379-1244 or 617-723-7676 or use our contact form. Thank you and RIDE SAFE!
Breakstone, White & Gluck Donates Children’s Bicycle Helmets to Boston School and Cambridge Medical Clinic
As part of our Project KidSafe campaign, Breakstone, White & Gluck recently made two donations to help children in Boston and Cambridge ride their bicycles safely.
Windsor Street Care Center
Breakstone, White & Gluck was pleased to donate 100 bicycle helmets to the Windsor Street Care Center in Cambridge. This is the second year we have partnered with the center. Doctors and staff give the helmets to children who need one, while also showing parents and older children how to properly fit the helmets themselves.
Haynes Early Education Center
Breakstone, White & Gluck was also pleased to donate 75 bicycle helmets for the Healthy Families Event at Haynes Early Education Center, which is part of the Boston public school system. The school, which is located in Roxbury, serves children in kindergarten and grade 1. The Healthy Families Event was held in late March to provide families with safety information before the Spring cycling season.
The Importance of Bicycle Helmets
Breakstone, White & Gluck cares about the safety of cyclists. Since 2013, our law firm has donated over 10,000 bicycle helmets to children in eastern Massachusetts through our Project KidSafe campaign.
Our goal is to encourage children to wear bicycle helmets starting early. Wearing a bicycle helmet is a simple and effective way to protect a cyclist from a head injury. But the key is the helmet must be in good condition and properly fit. Parents also play a critical role, by wearing a bicycle helmet to set a good example for their children.
Massachusetts law requires any person 16 years old or younger riding a bicycle to wear a helmet. By wearing a helmet, cyclists can reduce their chance for head injury by 50 percent, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Other studies have found bicycle helmets have an even greater impact in protecting children from falls or bicycle accidents.
About Breakstone, White & Gluck
Breakstone, White & Gluck is a Boston personal injury law firm which is committed to the safety of all bicyclists in Massachusetts. We have over 100 years combined experience representing bicyclists injured by the negligence of others. If you, or a member of your family, has been injured in a bicycle incident, please feel free to contact us for a free legal consultation at 800-379-1244 or 617-723-7676 or use our contact form. Thank you and RIDE SAFE!
Breakstone, White & Gluck Donates Bicycle Helmets to Kids in Easthampton
Breakstone, White & Gluck was pleased to donate 140 bicycle helmets to children in Easthampton yesterday, with help from many hands in the community who care about bicycle safety.
We donated the helmets through our Project KidSafe campaign at an “Event to Celebrate Bike Safety in Easthampton,” organized by the Easthampton Healthy Youth Coalition, the Easthampton Public Schools, the Easthampton Police Department and Northwest District Attorney David E. Sullivan’s office.
Photo: School Resource Officer Alan Schadel; Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan; Stephen Linsky and Ruth Ever of the Easthampton Healthy Youth Coalition; Attorney David W. White of Breakstone, White & Gluck and from the schools, Nancy Follansbee, Superintendent of Easthampton Schools; Judy Averill; Maple School Principal, Allison Rebello, Principal of Center and Pepin elementary schools; Andrea McCallum, Assistant Principal at Center Elementary School.
The children who received the helmets attend elementary school. In some cases, school administrators selected students who rode bikes and had no access to a safe helmet. But for the most part, children were sent home from school with a flyer and given the opportunity to sign up for a free bicycle helmet raffle.
Children and parents showed up together yesterday at the Easthampton Public Safety Complex. Some of the families came in on the Manhan Rail Trail, a six-mile cycling path which runs through Easthampton and stops at the building.
Attorney David White and School Resource Officer Alan Schadel fit the helmets for the kids. It was a great event because the children and parents were so interested in learning about the proper way to fit a helmet. The Easthampton Healthy Youth Coalition offered kids reflectors and other safety accessories to ride safely.
Breakstone, White & Gluck is now in our fourth year of the Project KidSafe campaign and has donated over 10,000 bicycle helmets to children in Massachusetts. Our goal is to keep children safe and prevent traumatic brain injuries from bicycle accidents. Cyclists of all ages can help protect themselves by wearing a helmet which properly fits, every time they ride. By wearing a helmet, cyclists reduce their chance for head injury by 50 percent, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
For help fitting a bicycle helmet, watch the video on our website: www.bwglaw.com/project-kidsafe/.
Breakstone, White & Gluck donated 140 of these bicycle helmets to children in the Easthampton public schools.
Attorney David White getting the kids excited about riding their bicycles, safely. He asked each child to promise to wear their helmet every time they ride.
Attorney David White and a young cyclist who received a bicycle helmet.
Easthampton School Resource Officer Alan Schadel helps a child with his new bicycle helmet.
Children who needed a helmet signed these flyers to enter a raffle.
About Breakstone, White & Gluck
Breakstone, White & Gluck is a Boston personal injury law firm which is committed to the safety of all bicyclists in Massachusetts. We have over 100 years combined experience representing bicyclists injured by the negligence of others. If you, or a member of your family, has been injured in a bicycle incident, please feel free to contact us for a free legal consultation at 800-379-1244 or 617-723-7676 or use our contact form. Thank you and RIDE SAFE!
Breakstone, White & Gluck and Cambridge Police Team Up for Children’s Bike Helmet Giveaway During National Bike Safety Month
With a donation from Breakstone, White & Gluck, the Cambridge Police Department will distribute bicycle helmets to children who need one during National Bike Safety Month.
Photo: Attorney Ronald Gluck and David White of Breakstone, White & Gluck gather with children at the Cambridgeport School, Assistant Principal Audrey M. Sturgis and Cambridge police officers Che Santos and Anthony Santiago. Breakstone, White & Gluck was pleased to donate children’s bicycle helmets to the Cambridge Police Department for National Bike Safety Month in May 2016.
Cambridge Police has announced its first “helmet voucher” program as part of its National Bike Safety Month initiatives in May. Police officers will specifically be looking for children who are riding bicycles without a helmet throughout May and hand them a “helmet voucher,” which can be redeemed for a free bicycle helmet at the Cambridge Police Department.
Breakstone, White & Gluck donated 140 bicycle helmets to the Cambridge Police in hopes of keeping children safe and preventing traumatic brain injuries from bicycle accidents. The donation was part of our Project KidSafe campaign, which has donated more than 10,000 bicycle helmets to children since 2013.
Massachusetts law requires any person 16 years old or younger riding a bicycle to wear a helmet. By wearing a helmet, cyclists can reduce their chance for head injury by 50 percent, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
This is a special donation and Attorney Ron Gluck and Attorney David White joined Cambridge Police at the Cambridgeport School for an unofficial kick off last week. Here are some photos:
Attorney Ron Gluck and Attorney David White join children at the Cambridgeport School along with Audrey M. Sturgis, assistant principal, and Cambridge police officers Che Santos and Anthony Santiago, to kick off the bike helmet giveaway during National Bike Safety Month.
Attorney David White helps a child fit a bicycle helmet.
Attorney Ron Gluck finishes fitting a helmet.
Cambridge police officers will distribute the bicycle helmets – and also show children how to properly fit them.
Cambridge Police will distribute these vouchers to children who are not wearing bicycle helmets during May.
For more information on how to properly fit a bicycle helmet, visit our Project KidSafe webpage.
About Breakstone, White & Gluck
Breakstone, White & Gluck is a Boston personal injury law firm which is committed to the safety of all bicyclists in Massachusetts. We have over 100 years combined experience representing bicyclists injured by the negligence of others. If you, or a member of your family, has been injured in a bicycle incident, please feel free to contact us for a free legal consultation at 800-379-1244 or 617-723-7676 or use our contact form. Thank you and RIDE SAFE!
Breakstone, White & Gluck Kicks Off 2016 Project KidSafe Campaign to Promote Children’s Bicycle Safety
Breakstone, White & Gluck kicked off our 2016 Project KidSafe campaign yesterday, continuing our commitment to children’s bicycle safety. Attorney Marc Breakstone visited the iCan Shine Bike Camp in Arlington, where we donated bicycle helmets to the 25 riders.
Attorney Marc L. Breakstone of Breakstone, White & Gluck with a cyclist and volunteer at the iCan Shine Bike Camp at the Ottoson Middle School in Arlington, Mass.
This is the third year Breakstone, White & Gluck has supported the iCan Shine Bike Camp in Arlington. iCan Shine is an international non-profit organization, with local organizers who host five-day camps which teach children and young adults with autism and other disabilities how to ride a bicycle.
Most of the cyclists take their very first ride at camp, said Nina Fischer, the local organizer.
“This camp is a dream come true for our riders and we’re so thankful to our volunteers and sponsors who help make it happen each year,” Fischer said.
Attorney Marc Breakstone said, “We are always pleased to make this donation. Breakstone, White & Gluck is committed to helping children ride their bicycles safely. Wearing a bicycle helmet is the first and most important step and the iCan Shine Bike Camp teaches this valuable lesson at every turn.”
The riders (who are ages 8-25) start the week riding bicycles with specialized rollers on the back, each with help from three volunteers. Yesterday was “Tandem Tuesday.” Cyclists got to ride the tandem bicycle for the first time, sitting on the front seat, with an instructor steering from behind. Later in the week, as the cyclists gain strength, they start riding outside.
Breakstone, White & Gluck cares about children’s cycling safety. Through our Project KidSafe campaign, we have donated over 10,000 bicycle helmets to children in eastern Massachusetts since 2013.
Our goal is to keep children safe and prevent traumatic brain injuries from bicycle accidents. Cyclists of all ages can help protect themselves by wearing a helmet which properly fits, every time they ride. By wearing a helmet, cyclists reduce their chance for head injury by 50 percent, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Our Project KidSafe campaign continues with donations in South Boston, Framingham and Westborough over the next few weeks.
About Breakstone, White & Gluck
Breakstone, White & Gluck is a Boston personal injury law firm which is committed to the safety of all bicyclists in Massachusetts. We have over 100 years combined experience representing bicyclists injured by the negligence of others. If you, or a member of your family, has been injured in a bicycle incident, please feel free to contact us for a free legal consultation at 800-379-1244 or 617-723-7676 or use our contact form. Thank you and RIDE SAFE!
Law Firm of Breakstone, White & Gluck Donates Bike Lights for Boston Bikes’ #BeBrilliant Campaign
Breakstone, White & Gluck recently donated bike lights for the Boston Bikes’ #BeBrilliant campaign. Boston Bikes surprised cyclists during their evening commutes and gave them free bike lights, at various giveaways over several days.
A total of 250 light sets were distributed in giveaways in Allston, Dorchester, East Boston, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Roslindale and South Boston. Community-based bike shops also distributed lights.
In Massachusetts, cyclists are required to equip their bikes with a white front light and a red rear reflector so they are visible to drivers in the dark.
This is the second year Breakstone, White & Gluck has donated bike lights for the campaign as part of our bike safety outreach. The campaign started after Daylight Savings Time.
Boston Bikes, an office of the City of Boston, worked with a number of city cycling clubs, stores and organizations to distribute the lights, including:
- Bicyclecentro
- Bikes Not Bombs
- Bowdoin Bike
- Commonwheels
- Bicycle Co-Op
- Dot Bike
- JP Bikes
- Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition Vigorous Youth
- Southie Bikes
More photos of the cyclists: http://tinyurl.com/pd4y89t
About Breakstone, White & Gluck
The Boston law firm of Breakstone, White & Gluck promotes bike safety through our Project KidSafe campaign. Since 2013, we have donated nearly 8,000 bike helmets in Massachusetts. To learn more about our firm and attorneys, visit this page: https://www.bwglaw.com/our-attorneys/.
Breakstone, White & Gluck Donates Bicycle Helmets to Tierney Learning Center in South Boston
Breakstone, White & Gluck recently donated bicycle helmets to the kids in the afterschool programs at the Tierney Learning Center in South Boston. The learning center and the Boston Bikes’ Roll It Forward program invited us to spend Friday afternoon at the center. Attorney David W. White fit the children for helmets while Boston Bikes’ Roll It Forward staff checked bikes and shared information about bike repairs.
Breakstone, White & Gluck donated the bicycle helmets as part of our Project KidSafe campaign, which we began in 2013. Our goal is to provide children who need one with a safe bicycle helmet. This year, we have donated 3,500 helmets to children in Watertown, Somerville, Dedham, Worcester and other communities.
The Tierney Learning Center is a hub in the South Boston community, providing early childhood programming, year-round youth programs, adult education and a technology center.
Programs include ABCD Head Start, an afterschool program with the Boys and Girls Club, language support classes, adult computer workshops with one-on-one assistance, counseling and career training programs. It also hosts holiday parties, community gatherings and job fairs. The center serves 150 children and families per day. Nearly 60 percent of these households are non-native English speakers while 90 percent are single-parent households.
Boston Bikes is operated by the City of Boston. Boston Bikes’ Roll It Forward collects, repairs and distributes bikes to low-income Boston residents who might not otherwise have access to a bike. The program also provides bike safety education with a goal of promoting a healthier lifestyle of increased physical activity and fewer trips by car. The program plans to donate 1,000 bicycles this year, on top of the 3,800 helmets donated in past years.
Breakstone, White & Gluck is proud to have supported the program since 2013, by donating bicycle helmets for children who receive a refurbished bike.
Learn more about the Tierney Learning Center and Boston Bikes’ Roll It Forward.
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Breakstone, White & Gluck Donates Bicycle Helmets in Watertown
Breakstone, White & Gluck and the Watertown Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee recently partnered up and gave 120 bicycle helmet to children. Breakstone, White & Gluck donated the helmets through our Project KidSafe campaign. Committee members then gave of their time and distributed helmets to children at the Watertown Faire on the Square on Sept. 26th. All 120 helmets were given away in one day!
Our thanks to the Watertown Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee, which sent along a few photos:
