The annual Safe Kids of Dawson County campaign got under way last week with a bicycle rodeo at Robinson Elementary School.

Dawson County Sheriff’s deputies joined representatives of Dawson County 4-H and emergency services to teach second-graders bike-riding safety.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Johnny Holtzclaw said this is the county’s seventh year promoting the program in local elementary schools.

“In Dawson County, the leading injuries affecting children are falls and motor vehicle accidents, which involve anything with wheels,” Holtzclaw said.

The students each received a free helmet, which Holtzclaw and other volunteers showed them how to wear.

“When we started this program in the county, we were looking for a group to target,” Holtzclaw said.

“Typically, second-grade children are in the transition phase of learning to ride with or without training wheels, as well as moving up to larger bikes.”

The students also had a chance to ride a bicycle, with or without training wheels, around a course set up in the gym.

It included stop signs and detours to avoid in the middle of the course.

“This program is geared toward children age 14 and under, teaching them about safety measures as a pedestrian in order to avoid injury,” said Katie Hill of Safe Kids Georgia.

According to Hill, the program also focuses on poisonings, drownings, falls and other categories to teach the state’s young people how to avoid accidental injury.

Dawson County is one of 21 coalitions in Georgia of Safe Kids Worldwide.

E-mail Elizabeth Hamilton at elizabeth@dawsonnews.com.