On an otherwise beautiful and sunny fall afternoon, a young boy in our town lost his life while riding an electronic bike. Now, many parents and children are wondering what they can do to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.
Growing up, many of us had bicycles that could only go as fast as our legs could move us. And while we’ve known about the importance of wearing bike helmets for quite a long time, that isn’t always enough. Some of these bikes can reach speeds of over 60 mph, making them more challenging to stop and control in emergency situations.
According to Columbia University researchers, e-bike injuries rose by 293% nationally from 2019 to 2022. That’s a startling number. State Senate President Nicholas Scutari recently announced that he will introduce a bill to make electric bike riding safer for users in New Jersey. However, even if this bill passes, it may take some time to implement. In the meantime, it’s imperative that parents ensure that their children are aware of bicycle road safety and how to handle these types of bikes.
Here are some great tips from AAA:
Determine the right electronic bike for your child. There are three classes, with different speed capabilities and controls, and various sizes, so ensure the fit is right for your child and the weight of the bike is manageable. Wider tires provide more stability, and some e-bikes even come with parent-adjustable speed settings and speed limiters, as well as app-based monitoring.
Ensure your child is responsible and skilled enough to handle an e-bike. Have them become comfortable and proficient on a regular bike first. If possible, ride with them, and make sure they are not easily distracted, have a superior sense of balance and motor skills, and can effectively steer and control the bike. Enrolling your child in an e-bike safety course is also a great option.
Have them wear a properly fitting helmet. Visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and follow its steps to ensure the helmet fits correctly.
Make sure they’re visible to others on the road. They should be wearing bright clothing during the day and light-colored or reflective clothing in the evenings. E-bikes should be equipped with headlights, taillights, and a red rear reflector.
Obey the rules of the road & e-bike laws, which are often the same as those for other motorists. These include obeying traffic lights and signs, as well as knowing and observing right-of-way laws. Stopping at crosswalks for pedestrians, going with the flow of traffic, riding as close to the right edge of the road as possible, and not blocking traffic on bike trails, paths, and lanes are also critical. Explain the importance of always signaling when making turns, making eye contact with motorists, and avoiding weaving in and out of traffic.
Talk to your kids about responsible riding. Emphasize the dangers of higher speeds, including reduced reaction times and an increased risk of loss of control and serious injury.
Ensure the bike is in top condition & keep up with maintenance. Inspect tires, brakes, controls, and displays on a regular basis.
Making a Difference for Children and Adults With Down Syndrome
By Sue Baldani
When Jake and Ashlyn Burger of College Grove found out they were having a little girl last year, they were thrilled. Then, when they discovered she would have Down Syndrome, they were understandably shocked and confused.
“I was 10 weeks pregnant and we were so uneducated at that point,” says Ashlyn. “Most people think that if no one in their family has Down Syndrome, then they can’t have a child with Down Syndrome.”
She was also worried about how this diagnosis would change their family dynamic. Their son Brooks was only 2 years old. “Jake’s levelheadedness kept me calm because he just knew everything was going to be okay, which made me also believe that everything was going to be okay.”
Their family life was already a bit hectic and unconventional. Jake, a major league baseball player with the Texas Rangers, was away a lot during the season. “I thought, ‘Is she going to be able to go to baseball games with the family?’”
On October 25, 2024, Penelope Pearl Burger came into the world, and their lives have certainly changed. “She’s perfect just the way she is,” says Jake. “Every morning when she wakes up and sees either one of us, she gets the biggest smile on her face and it just warms our hearts. She’s also very sassy and she’ll let us know if she doesn’t like something.”
Big brother Brooks is very protective of his little sister. “No one’s allowed to hold her unless they ask his permission first,” says Ashlyn. “It’s been really incredible as a parent to see how your older child, especially a little boy, is just so protective of his little sister.”
While Penelope did have to have open heart surgery, the family has continued to do everything they used to do. “Having a second child is always an incredible transition. We take her to baseball games and she just sleeps through the later innings. I don’t know if she’s going to want to watch when she gets older since it apparently bores her now,” says Ashlyn, laughing.
Jake is the only active MLB player with a child with Down Syndrome. It’s important to the couple, who met in 2021 and were married in 2022, to let other families know that if their child gets a diagnosis of Down Syndrome, it’s not as scary as it might look or seem. “It’s been very special to have Penelope,” she says.
Before and after Penelope’s birth, the support from the Rangers, friends, family, and the community was incredible. They want to make sure other families facing this diagnosis have this same support.
“After being blessed with Penelope, we have had a lot of access to resources that many people don’t have,” says Jake. “We kind of felt like there was a calling from God to use our platform for the greater good of the community.”
On March 21st, World Down Syndrome Day, they announced The Burger Family Foundation, which is a College Grove-based organization that is focused on giving back to the community that’s been there for them and their family.
“It’s a two-pronged approach,” says Jake. “The first one is Pen’s Pearls, which will directly give back to the community monetarily. Whether that’s a family that needs help with therapy bills, medical bills, or maybe even a babysitter who specializes in caring for children with Down Syndrome. This way, parents can have some time to just be spouses to each other.”
Support may also include funding for education resources and camps, and basically anything else a family needs to improve their lives and those of their children. “For example, there are several entities that offer great special needs summer camps, and if a family needs help paying for the tuition, then we would love the opportunity to be able to put their child into that program,” says Jake.
The second goal of the foundation will be establishing The Lucky Ranch where children can obtain occupational, physical and other needed therapies. “The ranch will have all sorts of animals, different types of plants, and more,” he says. “We want it to be an oasis, in a sense, for families with children with Down Syndrome or adults with Down Syndrome.” The couple believes that being able to be outside and reconnect with nature is vitally important. “Brooks is always in a better mood when he’s been outside for a couple of hours during the day.”
Jake, who grew up playing baseball and once played for the Chicago White Sox and Miami Marlins, comes from a long line of turkey farmers on his father’s side. So, he truly understands how special it is to spend time outdoors. “I remember being on the family farm in Southern Indiana over the summers and it just felt awesome being outside and being with the animals. For me, this is a way I’m using my family’s history to help as many people as possible.”
The couple also hopes that the ranch serves as a place that can employ adults with Down Syndrome, autism, and other disabilities. “Whether that’s being a ranch hand on the farm, or working in a farm-to-table restaurant, we want to give them that opportunity,” he says.
The reaction to the announcement of The Burger Family Foundation has been extremely positive. “The Rangers have been incredible with trying to get us as much support as possible. It’s also been incredible seeing the love and support from not only the Down Syndrome community, but also from people all across the country.”
Donations can be made on its website, and people can also purchase apparel with Burger 21 on it. Jake chose to have a Rangers jersey with the number 21 in recognition of Trisomy 21, which is the extra chromosome that results in Down Syndrome.
For families and individuals needing help, there is an online application process, which can also be found on the website. “Like a traditional grant system, applications will go before a board and they will vote,” says Jake.
He adds, “We’re kind of standing on the shoulders of giants with Best Buddies, GiGi’s Playhouse, BrightStone, and The Brett Boyer Foundation, which are all these incredible organizations and foundations that have come before us.
Jake is thankful that Tennessee is very progressive when it comes to children with disabilities. “They have great early intervention services that they pay for, but sometimes there are things that are a little bit extra that are not covered by the state or by personal insurance.” Ashlyn explains that children with Down Syndrome have a high occurrence of certain medical issues, including congenital heart disease and hearing loss.
When Ashlyn speaks about what they’re doing and plan to do, she gets very emotional. “I see a different side than Jake gets to see because I’m sitting in the stands when he’s playing games. So many people come up to me and say thank you for being so vocal about how incredible our children are. I feel really blessed that God chose us to have this job and to have given us Penelope. It’s an unexpected beauty having a child with Down Syndrome – it’s a calling, not just a chromosome.”
BurgerFamilyFoundation.org
Written for Franklin Lifestyle magazine in Tennessee
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