Posts Tagged ‘“bicycle safety”’
Breakstone, White & Gluck Donates Bike Helmets for Little League Opening Day in Watertown
As part of our Project KidSafe campaign, Breakstone, White & Gluck was pleased to donate bicycle helmets in Watertown over the weekend. The Watertown Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee set up outside the Little League fields and reached out to children and parents, answering safety questions and fitting free helmets for children who needed one. Committee members gave away roughly 70 of our Project KidSafe helmets.
This is the fifth year Breakstone, White & Gluck has donated bicycle helmets in partnership with the Watertown Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee. Over the years, Breakstone, White & Gluck has given more than 500 Project KidSafe bicycle helmets to children in the Watertown community.
(Photo credit: Watertown Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee Facebook)
Breakstone, White & Gluck launched its Project KidSafe campaign in 2013, with a goal of keeping children safe on bikes in Massachusetts. We have since donated over 25,000 bicycle helmets to children in partnership with local bicycle committees, police departments, schools and other community organizations. Bicycle committees are a key part of our campaign, helping children and families select and fit helmets at fun and casual gatherings alongside friends and neighbors.
About Breakstone, White & Gluck
Breakstone, White & Gluck is a Boston personal injury law firm which represents individuals who have been injured by the negligence and wrongdoing of others in Massachusetts. With more than 100 years combined experience, our lawyers are recognized throughout Massachusetts and New England for their work representing those injured. We are committed to supporting bicycle safety, supporting MassBike, Boston Bicyclists Union and other Boston-area bicycle clubs.
To learn more, visit Breakstone, White & Gluck’s website or our Project KidSafe campaign.
MassBike and Light Brigade 2018: Helping Cyclists Be Seen at Night
Breakstone, White & Gluck was pleased to support MassBike’s Light Brigade 2018, which delivered bike lights to cyclists who needed a set so they can be visible to drivers. All Photos: Courtesy of MassBike Light Brigade 2018 Facebook Photo Album.
We want to say job well done to MassBike for helping cyclists ride safely at night in Massachusetts. Over the past few weeks, MassBike has been distributing bike lights to cyclists from near and far, shining a light on the importance of staying visible during these dark days of winter.
Under Massachusetts law, cyclists are required to use bike lights from 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise. The front of the bike must be equipped with a white light (visible at least 500 feet away), with a red light or reflector on the back. Drivers must be able to see the rear light from at least 600 feet away.
MassBike is committed to getting lights to cyclists, reaching across 90 miles with this year’s campaign. Volunteers have given out lights in Boston, including in the Allston, Jamaica Plain and Charlestown neighborhoods and nearby: Cambridge, Lynn, Newton and Needham. Further west, cyclists in Northampton, Holyoke and Worcester also received lights. We’re told there may be more stops.
Breakstone, White & Gluck was a sponsor of MassBike’s campaign in 2017 and 2018. Other sponsors of the MassBike’s 2018 Light Brigade include Digital Lumens, Cycle Massachusetts and Charles River Wheelers.
More questions about Massachusetts bicycle laws? Read our article, “Quick Facts About Massachusetts Bicycle Laws.”
Photos: Courtesy of MassBike Light Brigade 2018 Facebook Photo Album.
About Breakstone, White & Gluck
With more than 100 years combined experience, Breakstone, White & Gluck is a Boston law firm specializing in personal injury and medical malpractice cases. Our partners founded our firm in 1992 and we have supported bicycle safety the entire way. For more than 20 years, we have sponsored bicycle clubs and organizations in the Boston area (and in some cases, ridden along the way; one of our partners is also a cyclist).
In 2013, our attorneys launched our Project KidSafe campaign, which has now given away more than 20,000 bicycle helmets across Massachusetts. Along the way, we have proudly worked with over 40 community organizations, including Massachusetts Safe Routes to School, more than a dozen police departments and bicycle committees in Milton, Westborough and Framingham. In 2017, we were recognized as a Silver Level Bicycle Friendly Business by the American League of Bicyclists.
Breakstone, White & Gluck Donates Bicycle Helmets to Children at Tierney Learning Center for the 4th Year
If summer must end, we like to squeeze in some last fun at the Tierney Learning Center’s Back to School BBQ. The Tierney Learning Center is a resource for many in South Boston, working to help low-income families achieve their goals for education, finances and health and well being. And it hosts one of the best summer BBQs in Boston, with good food, games, music and the opportunity to see friends.
For the fourth year, Breakstone, White & Gluck was pleased to donate bicycle helmets for the children and teens as part of our Project KidSafe campaign. Attorney David W. White fit the helmets and as you can see, he had a great time. It was nice to spend time with the kids before they head back to school. We have met some of the families at past events, so it was a pleasure to see them again.
Boston Law Firm of Breakstone, White & Gluck Helping Massachusetts Safe Routes to School Protect Children from Head Injuries This Summer
Breakstone, White & Gluck is proud to support Massachusetts Safe Routes to School each year. For the fourth year, Breakstone, White & Gluck donated 400 bicycle helmets from our Project KidSafe campaign and Massachusetts Safe Routes to School distributed the helmets to children who needed one and participated in their bicycle safety training. This is our largest donation each year and one we are proud to make. From Boston to Western Massachusetts, Massachusetts Safe Routes teaches elementary and middle school students skills to walk and bike to school safely. The bicycle safety training focuses on the fundamentals of traffic laws, the importance of wearing a bicycle helmet and for many, how to balance on their first ride. The program is also well known for its bike rodeos, a fun way for students to practice their new-found skills.
Massachusetts Safe Routes offers programming in over 800 schools in 200+ communities in Massachusetts. The staff tells us our Project KidSafe helmets went to children at these events:
Holyoke Roll n’ Stroll
Newburyport Bike Rode
Lawrence SALSA, Ciclovia
Longmeadow Bike Rodeo
Northeastern University Police Bike Rodeo-Boston
Stoughton Bike Rodeo
BCYF Mattahunt-Super Teens-Boston
Lawrence Learns Block Party
Pittsfield’s Mayor’s Fitness Challenge Kickoff
Springfield Complete Streets Celebration
Milford Fun and Fuel Summer Meals Program
National Night Out-North Adams
Longmeadow’s Bike Rodeo
Groveland’s Bike Rodeo
Young cyclists at the Lawrence Ciclovia (August 2018). Massachusetts Safe Routes to School distributed free bicycle helmets from Breakstone, White & Gluck’s Project KidSafe campaign to prevent head injuries. Courtesy Photo: Massachusetts Safe Routes to School Facebook page.
Lawrence Ciclovia (August 2018). Massachusetts Safe Routes to School distributed free bicycle helmets from Breakstone, White & Gluck’s Project KidSafe campaign to prevent head injuries. Courtesy Photo: Massachusetts Safe Routes to School Facebook page.
Massachusetts Safe Routes to School distributed free bicycle helmets from Breakstone, White & Gluck’s Project KidSafe campaign at Boston Center for Youth & Families Mattahunt Super Teens. Courtesy Photo: Massachusetts Safe Routes to School Facebook page.
In addition to donating bicycle helmets, Breakstone, White & Gluck was pleased to participate in a few Safe Routes events in 2018. First, Attorney Marc L. Breakstone spoke to students at Peirce Elementary School in Arlington about the importance of wearing bicycle helmets, then helped hand the helmets out. Meanwhile, Attorney David W. White attended the annual Safe Routes to School Awards at the Massachusetts State House. The event recognizes students, schools and teachers who are going above and beyond in the work of protecting children on bikes and when walking to school.
Launched in 2000, Massachusetts Safe Routes to School was one of two pilot programs launched in the U.S. The goal was to help children learn the skills they needed to walk and bike to school safely. Today, the program is a federally-funded initiative managed by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and has grown by leaps and bounds to meet the needs of communities and schools which want to keep kids safe.
We are very proud of our partnership with Massachusetts Safe Routes because the programming is effective and provides encouragement to schools and communities. Children remember what they learn and remember it for years to come. As they move through the curriculum, students get valuable practice time at community bike rodeos (which, in our experience, are a lot of fun). Whether it’s walking or biking, the program works best when children, teachers and communities are all involved in the safety lessons. One of the first lessons is that walking and biking safely are lifelong skills.
About Breakstone, White & Gluck and Our Project KidSafe Campaign
The Project KidSafe campaign was founded by the Boston personal injury law firm of Breakstone, White & Gluck. Through our Project KidSafe campaign, our attorneys have donated over 20,000 bicycle helmets to children across Massachusetts. Most of the donations are in the Boston area and eastern Massachusetts. All our donations are made through programs, such as Massachusetts Safe Routes, and community partners which distribute the helmets to children one at a time, as part of educational programming or at community events.
How did we get started? In 2013, the firm’s partners – Marc L. Breakstone, David W. White and Ronald E. Gluck – set out to protect children and families on bikes from head injuries. The attorneys have long represented those who have been injured by head injuries on bikes and in car accidents, as a result of someone else’s negligence. These are devastating injuries which can change lives. Responsibility falls with drivers not to speed or operate recklessly, but cyclists must also obey traffic laws and we urge riders of all ages to wear helmets. This is an key step to protect yourself and limit the risk of head injuries should you ever fall on your bike or be injured in a bicycle crash. Please wear your helmet every time you ride, no matter how short the trip.
Lexington Minuteman: Attorney Marc L. Breakstone Promotes Safe Cycling
Read an announcement about Attorney Marc L. Breakstone and our Project KidSafe campaign in the Lexington Minuteman. Attorney Breakstone and our bicycle helmet donations in Arlington and Lexington are mentioned.
Newton Tab: Attorney Ronald E. Gluck and Breakstone, White & Gluck Donate Bicycle Helmets to Children
Attorney Ronald E. Gluck was recently mentioned in his hometown newspaper for our firm’s Project KidSafe campaign encouraging children to wear bicycle helmets. Read the article.
Cyclists: Are You Lighting Up the Road?
Cyclist on vacation in Massachusetts wearing a helmet but not using bike lights
Fireworks are lighting up spectacular skies this week. All the color makes us think about bike lights. If you are a cyclist, are you lighting up the road this summer? Are you using bike lights and wearing bright colors to stay visible to drivers?
Whether you are commuting to work or enjoying a leisurely ride on vacation, bike lights are essential to preventing bicycle accidents. And many cyclists don’t realize this, but bike lights are required by law in Massachusetts.
We encourage you to buy yourself bike lights as soon as possible. If you already have lights, please check to make sure they are working properly. Bicycle accidents have risen in the U.S., reaching a 25-year high in 2016, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The majority of accidents happened between 6 and 9 p.m. The second peak time was 9 p.m. to midnight.
Massachusetts Law
Under Massachusetts law, cyclists are required to use bike lights if they ride after dark. The law is M.G.L c.85 § 11B.
Bicycles must be equipped with a white light facing forward and a red light facing backward. These lights must be in use from thirty minutes after sunset until thirty minutes before sunrise. The white light must be visible from at least five hundred feet away. The red light on the back must be visible for at least six hundred feet. Reflectors on both pedals facing front and back are also required. If a cyclist has no reflectors, they can wear reflective material around their ankles.
Plan
If you have your own bike, buy your own lights now. You can buy them online or at a local store for a few dollars. For everyone else, if there is a chance you may ride, purchase some small bike lights. They pack neatly in your work bag or travel luggage.
There are many different types of lights available. When you purchase lights, take note of the size, battery type and battery life and if they are designed for day or night use. Remember that lights are required for the front and back of your bike. Attaching lights to your helmet or other parts of your bike are helpful for safety, but are considered extra under the law. Here is an article about bike lights to help you get started.
There is good news for Boston commuters. There are built-in lights on the rental Blue Bikes in Boston, Cambridge, Somerville and Brookline.
Stay Visible
Don’t stop at bike lights. Purchase a neon reflective safety vest, tape and any other clothing to help drivers see you. Amazon is full of ideas.
Know Your Bike Route
Before you ride at night, plan your route. Choose areas which are well lit and have clearly marked bike lanes. Travel the route during the day before you go at night.
Stay Informed
Monitor social media accounts for local police departments and bike committees which serve the area. Sign up for the newsletters offered by bike committees. Cyclists write these newsletters specifically for other cyclists and their experience is invaluable, especially when riding and making decisions at night.
Honoring Schools for Teaching Safe Walking and Biking
Breakstone, White & Gluck was pleased to celebrate the Massachusetts Safe Routes to School Partnership today. Attorney David W. White joined a gathering at the State House which recognized schools for outstanding work in teaching children critical skills, how to walk and bike to school safely. The ceremony was a nice opportunity to learn about Safe Routes’ work over the past year and get a preview of what’s ahead.
Breakstone, White & Gluck and our Project KidSafe campaign have supported Safe Routes’ work for the past four years. Wearing a bicycle helmet is one of the first lessons Safe Routes teaches children. We donate 400 bicycle helmets each year to help Safe Routes reach as many children as possible.
We make the donation, but Safe Routes’ coordinators choose which communities receive helmets, based on their unique knowledge of the communities. The program’s coordinators work all over the state, from Boston and Cambridge to Martha’s Vineyard to Western Massachusetts. In some cases, helmets are given to an entire class. In other cases, a Safe Routes coordinator will send a few helmets as needed.
Safe Routes programming is offered in all 50 states. In Massachusetts, the pilot program was first launched in 2000. With federal funding, the program was restructured in 2006 and became an initiative of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and MassRIDES. More than a decade later, the program continues strong and is now offered in more than 800 schools in 206 communities in Massachusetts. Each program works to implement the Five E’s: Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, Evaluation and Engineering.
Students learn safety skills in school programs, special events and community events and rodeos. School programming includes Massachusetts Walk, Bike and Roll to School Day and the winter version, Winter Walk and Roll to School Day.
Diane Hanson, Mass Rides program director, spoke to start the ceremony. Keynote speaker was Jonathan Gulliver, the MassDOT Highway Commissioner. Pat Kelsey, outreach supervisor for MassRIDES, announced the school awards.
Attorney David W. White with Jennifer Ford, principal at Cambridge’s Peabody School, which received some of the Project KidSafe bicycle helmets.
Group photo on the Grand Staircase.
Attorney David W. White with Tom Francis, interim executive director of MassBike.
Attorney David W. White with Pat Kelsey, outreach supervisor for Mass Rides.
About Project KidSafe
Breakstone, White & Gluck founded Project KidSafe in 2013 and we have donated over 20,000 bicycle helmets to children. In addition to Safe Routes, we have partnered with over 40 schools, police departments, bicycle committees and community organizations mostly in the Boston area.
Why bicycle helmets? With decades of experience representing cyclists and those injured in motor vehicle crashes, our personal injury attorneys have seen the devastation caused by head injuries first hand. Young cyclists who are 16 and younger must wear bicycle helmets under Massachusetts law, but many ride without any protection. There are many reasons: helmets are expensive, hard to fit and cyclists (young and old) often say they are uncomfortable to wear. But through Project KidSafe, Breakstone, White & Gluck is committed to limiting and preventing head injuries in Massachusetts, and encouraging children to understand the importance of bicycle helmets early on.
Learn more about Breakstone, White & Gluck.
Learn more about Project KidSafe.
Our Law Firm’s Commitment to Bicycle Safety for Somerville 5th Graders and Somerville Public Schools
For the fifth year, Somerville 5th graders have met our challenge. Our lawyers are pleased to send 370 students into summer with a free bicycle helmet from Project KidSafe, our campaign to encourage safe cycling and prevent head injuries.
The students earned the helmets by completing the CYCLE Kids curriculum, which teaches bicycle safety fundamentals. CYCLE Kids is offered as part of physical education classes at Somerville public schools. Through CYCLE Kids, some students in Somerville learn how to ride a bicycle for the first time. Others gain valuable experience or take other cycling firsts – such as riding with friends for the first time or their first ride on the Somerville Community Path.
“It’s all about your brain. Your brain is going to take you through life,” Attorney Ron Gluck told 5th graders at the Benjamin G. Brown School on Monday. “So protect your brain and it’s our pleasure to give you these helmets. You earned them, through your good work in learning about safety and bicycles.”
“It’s all about safety, but it’s also the law,” Somerville Police Officer Marianne Manfra added. In Massachusetts, cyclists who are 16 years old and younger are required to wear helmets. We urge all cyclists to wear helmets.
Shawn Maguire, principal of the Benjamin G. Brown School, Sharyn Von Trapp, the 5th grade physical education teacher and Steve Simolaris, supervisor of health and physical education at the Somerville public schools, all attended the gathering to recognize students for completing CYCLE Kids. Von Trapp handed students certificates of completion, while Attorney Gluck and Officer Manfra gave students their helmets (and we are pleased to report the students already knew how to fit their own helmets and some knew enough to help friends).
About Breakstone, White & Gluck and Project KidSafe
Attorneys Marc L. Breakstone, David W. White and Ronald E. Gluck founded our law firm in 1992. Breakstone, White & Gluck is a personal injury law firm and as part of our practice, our attorneys have long represented cyclists. We know wearing a bicycle helmet can make every difference in preventing head injuries and saving lives. Wearing a helmet is also a simple step anyone can take. We founded our Project KidSafe campaign in 2013 to encourage helmet use.
Over six years, our attorneys have given away more than 20,000 bicycle helmets to children in Massachusetts. Each year, we partner with CYCLE Kids and Somerville public schools, along with the Kiwanis Club of Somerville on its annual Bicycle Safety Day. One hundred cyclists turned out this year to learn cycling skills. The event was held last weekend at the East Somerville Community School.
We also partner with Groundwork Somerville, which gives our helmets to students who participate in summer programming and rely on their bikes for transportation throughout the day.
About Breakstone, White & Gluck
The Boston personal injury lawyers of Breakstone, White & Gluck have over 100 years combined experience representing those who have been injured by the negligence or wrongdoing of others. To learn more about our attorneys, visit our website. For a free legal consultation, contact us at 800-379-1244 or 617-723-7676 or use our contact form.
Photos from Boston’s Bike to Work Festival 2018
Breakstone, White & Gluck was pleased to participate in Boston’s Bike to Work Festival on May 18, 2018. The City of Boston organizes this event each year to encourage and celebrate cycling. Cyclists can ride right into City Hall Plaza and enjoy a free breakfast and vendor tables. Our attorneys have participated in this event for the past few years and it’s always a fun way to close out Bay State Bike Week and Bike Month. This year, we set up our Project KidSafe tent and fit 70 free bicycle helmets for cyclists who needed one.
If you missed this year’s event, you can learn more on the City of Boston’s website. Read more about our Project KidSafe campaign on our website.
Here are a few photos from the event:
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- Attorney David W. White, Becca Wolfson, Executive Director of the Boston Cyclists Union and Attorney Marc L. Breakstone.
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- Blue Bikes. By year’s end, the public bike sharing system is gearing up to be 3,000 bikes strong.
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- From 2019 Bay State Bike Week: Attorney David W. White with Galen Mook, executive director of MassBike and Lee Toma, of Milton Bike.
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- The line for our Project KidSafe bike helmets!
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- Many cyclists rode in on group convoys.
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- Attorney David W. White and Attorney Marc L. Breakstone
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- Attorney Marc L. Breakstone with a cyclist at our Project KidSafe tent.
