Children can test riding skills on bicycle obstacle course during Ride Cool on June 1

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Hannibal Clinic Health Services will be the host of Ride Cool from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, June 1, at 100 Medical Drive.

Youths attending will have the chance to win a new bike at the event. Free helmets and T-shirts will be given away as long as supplies last. Children are invited to bring their own bike to test their riding skills and safety knowledge on a bicycle obstacle course.

In a press release, Dr. Susan Meidl, Blessing Health Hannibal and Hannibal Clinic Health Services board member, said “People cannot drive a car or truck without the proper training. The same safety-mindedness applies to being behind the handlebars of a bicycle. We cannot expect our children to ride safely unless they are taught how to be safe. That’s the goal of Ride Cool. We encourage all area families to attend this free event to make the summer of 2024 safer.”

According to American Family Physician Journal, bicycle-related injuries account for approximately 900 deaths, 23,000 hospital admissions, 580,000 emergency department visits and more than 1.2 million physician visits per year in the United States.. The peak incidence of bicycle-related injuries and fatalities is in the 9- to 15-year-old age group.