OPTION 1: GENERAL MESSAGE TO ALL PARENTS IN NEWSLETTER:

HEADER: PARENTS AND TRAFFIC SAFETY

SCHOOL NAME's 3rd Grade Bike/Traffic Safety Program was a big success! Many thanks to all the volunteers who helped to make the on-bike lesson on October XX a real learning experience for the children.

The purpose of this program is to:

teach safe biking and walking skills, like looking left, right, left before entering a street;
practice following basic rules of the road, like using signals and following yielding rules at driveways and intersections; and
help children learn to check that their bike helmet fits snug, level and low on their forehead every time they ride.

But even more important is what happens outside the classroom. Each of us has an important role in teaching our children to be safe on the street. Some suggestions for when you're walking, biking or driving around the community with your children:

Encourage your child to observe the behavior of other users of the road, especially at intersections. Discuss real-world examples of adults and children you see following the rules of the road and behaving predictably in traffic.
Help your child recognize examples of safe vs. unsafe choices. Crossing at corners, making eye contact with drivers before crossing their paths and riding with (not against) traffic will greatly reduce your child's risk of being hit by a car.
Be a good role model for your children on the road. Whether it's wearing a well-fitted helmet or yielding to those with the right of way at intersections, they will do as you do, not as you say.

For more information on traffic safety questions, check out the PTA Council's Traffic Safety website: http://pta.palo-alto.ca.us/traffic/

-- YOUR NAME, PTA Coordinator for SCHOOLNAME's 3rd grade Bike/Traffic Safety Program
[Optional: add the name of your traffic safety rep and include phone #s]

OPTION 2: MESSAGE TO THIRD GRADE PARENTS

HEADER:

SCHOOL NAME's 3rd Grade Bike/Traffic Safety Program was a big success! Both bikers and walkers learned some valuable skills and techniques that will help to keep them safe.

This is only the first step, though, and ensuring that your child is safe on the street is up to you. Please discuss with your child the lessons learned at the Bike Rodeo, and help your child to perfect his/her skills in a controlled environment until you are confident that they know and can follow basic rules of the road.

The five stations in the rodeo included practice in signaling and turning, scanning over your left shoulder, controlled riding around obstacles, yielding right of way, and checking for proper helmet fit. Many of these skills are as critical for pedestrians, skaters or scooter riders as they are for cyclists.

Here are some suggestions on how you can follow up on what they learned at school:
Discuss the lessons with your child and reinforce the importance of looking, signaling, yielding and making eye contact.

Observe your child's bicycling by riding along behind him or her. Let the child make decisions, but be there to catch any mistakes and correct them. (Be sure that you know proper bicycling behavior before you do this.)
Discuss the behavior of car drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists as you travel with your child. Emphasize the importance of following the rules of the road (the traffic laws), being predictable and letting other people know what you intend to do.
Check your child's helmet regularly for wear and for proper fit. California law requires children under 18 to wear a PROPERLY FITTED AND FASTENED helmet.
Set a good example for your children to follow. They will do as you do, not as you say. Drive your car and ride your bike the way you want them to do it.

Many thanks to all the volunteers who helped to make the on-bike lesson on October XX an excellent learning experience for the children.

[LIST NAMES - include station if you feel it appropriate]

Please make safe bicycling and driving a lifetime commitment, not just a one-day "crash course". If you have any questions about the 3rd grade Bicycle/Traffic Safety Program, call YOUR NAME at 888-8888.