Officials in Phoenix are hoping that a graphic comic book can get an important message across about bike safety.
Scheduled to run for six issues, the comic was dreamed up by the City of Phoenix Street Transportation Department as a way to educate teenage bicycle riders on how to avoid blind spots or getting struck by someone opening their car door and to instruct about the importance of always obeying posted signs.
City officials have said that, upon studying bicycle crash data, it became clear that males between the ages of 12 to 17 made up a disproportionate amount of accident victims. They wanted a way to get through to this at-risk section of the population. The comics are currently only available through the Street Transportation Department’s Office, but this will change once the comics get rolled out to local schools upon the beginning of the next school year in the fall.
What’s somewhat surprising is the level of violence depicted in the comics. The series fully intends to show the injurious and sometimes deadly consequences of ignoring bike safety rules, and it does so by depicting the carnage in a way that would rival a driver’s education video. Kids seem to love it, but parents have concerns.
As a Bakersfield personal injury lawyer, I’m used to seeing the typical ways that safety awareness is spread. The various methods can begin to seem rote, which is why it’s sometimes good to think outside the box. I wish Phoenix luck with their campaign. I hope as a car accident attorney in Bakersfield that the comic keeps kids safe from roadside danger.