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May 20, 2004

Randy Nehrt

White Announces Winners of Bicycle Safety Poster Contest

SPRINGFIELD — Secretary of State Jesse White held an award ceremony today for the winners of the 2004 Bicycle Safety Poster Contest sponsored by his office and Jewel Osco.

Kelsey Rae Klaus, a fifth grade student at Carlinville Intermediate School, is this year's overall winner. Her poster has been duplicated and will be displayed at Secretary of State Drivers Services Facilities and Jewel Osco stores statewide. As the corporate sponsor, Jewel Osco underwrote the cost of printing the bicycle safety posters.

"I want to congratulate Kelsey for designing a wonderful poster," White said. "Her poster will be proudly displayed throughout the state and it will help educate the public about bicycle safety.

"I also want to congratulate our other winners today and all the students who participated in the poster contest this year. This poster contest reminds us how important it is for children and adults to be familiar with the rules of the road and for bicyclists and motorists to be aware of each other at all times."

The poster contest is open to all Illinois students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Students compete in three categories according to grade level: K-2, 3-5, and 6-8. Each participating school selects one winner in each category and submits the posters to the Secretary of State's traffic safety division. Jewel Osco selects the first, second and third place winners in each category and chooses the grand prize winner from the three first place winners.

First place winners received Toys-R-Us gift certificates provided by Jewel Osco to purchase a bicycle and helmet. Second and third place winners received Toys-R-Us gift certificates provided by Jewel Osco to purchase bicycle helmets. Each contest winner received a personalized Illinois Blue Book and certificate from Secretary White.

White said the poster contest helps teach children important rules and safety tips for riding bicycles. According the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 662 bicyclists were killed and an additional 48,000 were injured in the United States in 2002. More than one-fifth of the bicyclists killed in traffic crashes in 2002 were between 5 and 15 years old. In 2002, there were 22 bicyclist fatalities in Illinois.

Copies of the Bicycle Rules of the Road are available at all Secretary of State Driver Services facilities throughout the state.