Forget the Sidewalks: Ridgewood Cops Teach Kids Pro Bike Skills—The 4 Rules Every NJ Parent MUST Know!
photos courtesy of the Ridgewood Police Department
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, learning to ride a bike is a fundamental part of childhood, but with today’s traffic—and the growing use of electric scooters and bikes—instilling core safety knowledge has never been more crucial.
That’s why the community partnership between Ridgewood Parks & Recreation and the Ridgewood Police Department (RPD) is so vital!
This past Saturday, September 20th, young riders in Ridgewood, NJ, got a hands-on lesson in becoming safe and confident cyclists at the popular Learn to Ride & Safe Bike Skills Course.
A Day of Fun, Focus, and Fundamentals
The successful event, featuring instruction from RPD’s Ptl. Perez and Ptl. Walters, was designed to move children beyond just pedaling to truly mastering the rules of the road.
Participants rotated through stations that covered essential, life-saving skills often overlooked in casual riding:
- The Perfect Fit: Learning how to properly size and secure a helmet (a key defense against head injuries).
- The Pre-Ride Check: Instructing kids on how to quickly check their bike’s tires, brakes, and components before every ride.
- Mastering Communication: Practicing hand signals for turning and stopping, ensuring they can clearly communicate their intentions to drivers.
- Safe Riding Course: Navigating a fun, controlled course that simulated real-world traffic scenarios, teaching alertness and proper bike handling.
A big thank you goes out to all the engaged families who participated and to Ridgewood Parks & Recreation for collaborating with the RPD to prioritize bike safety in the community.
The 4 Essential NJ Bike Safety Rules for Parents
In light of recent news across New Jersey highlighting the dangers faced by young riders, it is paramount that parents reinforce state laws and safety practices with their children:
- Helmet Law is Non-Negotiable: In New Jersey, any person under 17 years of age must wear a properly fitted and fastened helmet when riding a bicycle or scooter. Failure to comply can result in fines for parents or legal guardians.
- Ride With Traffic, Not Against It: Bikes are vehicles under NJ law (Title 39) and must follow all traffic laws, including riding in the same direction as vehicular traffic. Wrong-way riding is a major cause of crashes.
- Obey ALL Signs and Signals: Cyclists must stop at all stop signs and red lights. They are required to use hand signals before turning or stopping.
- Sidewalks are for Pedestrians: While some municipalities allow very young, supervised children on sidewalks, state safety resources discourage sidewalk riding for older kids. Sidewalk riding is dangerous because drivers are not looking for fast-moving vehicles suddenly entering the street at driveways and intersections.
The Ridgewood event is a model for community safety. By proactively teaching these skills, the town is helping its youngest residents enjoy the freedom of two wheels while greatly reducing their risk on the road.
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Teach those riders a basic law.
When you are on a bicycle, you are NEVER a pedestrian.
If you want to be a pedestrian in a crosswalk, get off the bicycle and walk.