Bicycle Safety

Education for

Children From a
Developmental
And Learning
Perspective
A Literature Review for NHTSA
Through the National Safety Council

This publication is distributed by the U.S. Department of

Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, in the interest of information exchange. The
opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed in this
publication are those of the author(s) and not necessarily
those of the Department of Transportation or the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The United States
Government assumes no liability for its content or use
thereof. If trade or manufacturers names or products are
mentioned, it is because they are considered essential to the
object of the publication and should not be construed as an
endorsement. The United States Government does not
endorse products or manufacturers.

Suggested APA Format Citation:

Ellis, J. (2014, January). Bicycle safety education for children from a developmental
and learning perspective (Report No. DOT HS 811 880). Washington, DC:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Technical Report Documentation Page

1. Report No.

2. Government Accession No.

3. Recipient's Catalog No.

DOT HS 811 880

4. Title and Subtitle

5. Report Date

January 2014
Bicycle
Safety Education for Children From a Developmental
Code
and Learning Perspective

6. Performing Organization

8. Performing Organization Report No.

7. Author(s)

Jenny Ellis, Ph.D.

9. Performing Organization Name and Address

10. Work Unit ( TRAIS)

JEBE Consulting, LLC

2130 Dakar Place
Dulles, VA 20189

11. Contract or Grant No.

13. Type of Report and Period Covered

12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address

National Safety Council

1121 Spring Lake Drive
Itasca, IL 60143-3201

14. Sponsoring Agency Code

Via cooperative agreement with the

U.S. Department of Transportation
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Office of Behavioral Safety Research
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.
Washington, DC 20590
15. Supplementary Notes

Kristie Johnson, Ph.D., served as the Contracting Officers Technical Representative for this project.
16. Abstract

When children ride bicycles in and near traffic, they engage in a complicated task of combining motor skills and
cognitive skills. In addition to developing bicycle-handling skills, bicycle safety education programs teach
children how to ride safely in and near traffic. However, to what extent are bicycle education programs effective
in improving safe, bicycle-riding behavior and reducing injuries? The purpose of this literature review is two-fold.
First, this report describes the nature of children and adolescents bicycle injuries in addition to understanding the
types of programs that exist and their effectiveness. Second, this report explores the psychological domains related
to riding a bicycle in childhood and adolescence such as motor skill development, cognitive development, brain
development, and risk-taking and social influences. Understanding how each of these interacts with childrens
abilities to learn and ride a bicycle safely in traffic allows researchers and safety practitioners to design more
effective bicycle education programs to teach children and adolescents how to safely negotiate traffic as bicyclists.
18. Distribution Statement
17. Key Words

Children; Adolescence; Bicycle Safety Programs; Bicycling;

Bicycle Education; Cognitive Development; Motor-Skills;
Brain
Development; Risk-Taking, Dual-Task, Social Influences

No restrictions. This
document is available to
the public through the
National Technical

Information Service
www.ntis.gov.

19. Security Classif. (of this report)

20. Security Classif. (of this page)

21. No. of Pages

Unclassified

Unclassified

60

Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72)

22. Price

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