Shanghai Daily: Young cyclists told to turn off phones, MP3s - 22 November, 2006

Young bike riders should turn off their MP3 players, stay off the sidewalk and stop chatting on the phone while they are cycling, police told a group of seventh graders at Zhongshan Middle School yesterday. Nine students from the school were presented certificates yesterday morning after passing a cycling test and sitting through a lecture on bicycle safety.

Similar tests and lectures will be set up at middle schools around the city over the next few months in order to help students improve their cycling skills and cut down on the number of youngsters injured or killed in traffic accidents. Police wouldn’t say how many young cyclists were involved in traffic accidents in Shanghai last year, but noted mishaps on the road are the third most common accidental killer of children in China. At yesterday’s gathering, police also taught students how to deal with a traffic accident and how to dial the city’s emergency hotline - 110.

The nine students had to follow police instructions while zigzagging their way through a course of traffic pylons. Two students who failed on the first attempt were allowed to try again, ensuring everyone passed the test by the end of the morning.

“Though there’s no recent figures available yet on how many students were killed in fatal road accidents in the city, it’s certain that they are a group that demands our extra attention when it comes to road safety,” said Zhao Qihong, an officer with the city’s general team of traffic police.

“Due to a difficult traffic situation, many middle school students are riding bikes between home and school. The minors tend to be less self-protective on the street and could be weaker at responding to emergencies,” he added.