On Thursday, June 9th, Derby Police Officers will begin rewarding safe bicycle and pedestrian habits with coupons to four Derby businesses. Freddy’s Frozen Custard, Dairy Queen, and Spangles have all donated coupons for refreshments. Rock River Rapids has donated day passes to the water park. 

The program focuses on reinforcing safe habits among pedestrians and bicyclists 14 years and under. Officers will carry coupons with them on patrol. When they observe safe use of crosswalks, riders using the right-hand side of the roadway, signaling turns and obeying traffic signs and signals, that person may receive a coupon. The goal is to provide positive reinforcement when children are seen doing the right thing.

Chief Robert Lee developed the program as a proactive response to a rise in the number of traffic accidents involving young pedestrians and bicyclists this year. In 2009, there were four pedestrian accidents and one bicycle accident. During the first 5 months of 2010, there have been two pedestrian accidents and five accidents involving bicyclists. In almost every case, these accidents were attributed to unsafe use of the roadway by the pedestrian or cyclist.

Parents are encouraged to coach their children in traffic safety, observe their habits, and correct mistakes that could result in an accident.