(ATLANTA) The Atlanta Bicycle Coalition is pleased to announce it has received a $62,883.66 grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS). The grant, which will continue through September of 2020, will provide bicycle safety education, with the goal of reducing bicycle crashes and injuries.
“Thanks to the GOHS, we are able to provide quality bike safety and skills training to hundreds of Atlanteans. Our goal is to increase the density of people biking with zero bicycle crashes in Fulton and Dekalb counties.“ said Atlanta Bicycle Coalition Education & Outreach Program Manager Stephen Spring.
The GOHS-funded education program will include 44 bike classes for a range of people, from true beginners to bike commuters, with the goal of reaching 500 Atlantans with the trainings. Class types include City Cycling rides, Hack Your Commute, College & Community Bike Safety, and a ticket diversion program for those who receive tickets for bicycle traffic violations. The ticket diversion program aims to reduce the burden of fines on low-income residents, and increase awareness of bicycle safety.
Atlanta is the 20th safest large city for biking in the U.S., as measured by bicycle fatalities per 10,000 reported bicycle commuters. In the City of Atlanta, in 2016, there were 152 crashes involving people on bikes and 116 injuries as a result. In the state of Georgia, Atlanta and Fulton and DeKalb counties have among the highest total number of bicycle crashes, along with the highest rates of cycling in the state. By providing bike safety education, the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition aims to reduce bicycle crashes and create safer streets for everyone.
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Founded in 1991, the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition is a membership-based nonprofit. Our work includes advocacy for a safe and connected network of bikeways and better conditions for bicycling, education for bicyclists and drivers on safety, resources to overcome barriers to biking, and opportunities to experience biking in a safe setting during Atlanta Streets Alive.
For more information on the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition’s award, contact Kathryn Curtis at 404.657.9079 or [email protected]. For more information on GOHS and its safety programs visit www.gahighwaysafety.org.