To encourage an increase in bicycle safety in our communities, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and the Fillmore Police Department’s Citizen Patrol will be holding a bicycle safety rodeo from 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM on Saturday, September 28th. The event will be held in the parking lot of the San Salvador Mission in Piru and will feature a safety course, bike tune-ups, free helmets and fitting assistance, bicycle registration and raffle prizes. The event will also feature displays from the Sheriff’s Bomb Squad, Sheriff’s Mounted Patrol, SWAT team, K9 Unit, Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, and Ventura County Fire Department. The event is sponsored by Piru Pizza, California Resources Corporation, the Sheriff’s Foundation and the Ventura County Deputy Sheriffs Association.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, each year, nearly 1,000 persons die from injuries caused by bicycle crashes, and 550,000 persons are treated in emergency rooms for injuries related to bicycle riding. Head injuries account for 62% of bicycle-related deaths and for 33% of bicycle-related emergency room visits. A helmet is the single most effective way to prevent head injury resulting from a bicycle crash, however, only about 15% of riders under the age of 15 wear helmets. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00036941.htm

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and the Fillmore Police Department’s Citizen Patrol encourages all riders, regardless of age, to take advantage of modern safety equipment, and for parents to ensure their children are wearing helmets while riding bicycles and skateboards. The safety of our children is a top priority, and we encourage parents to attend this event with their children.