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'Tour of Utah' Promoting Cycling Safety For Kids

familydoctor.org

 

Every morning Travis Hayes wakes up and goes to work. He works for United Healthcare, a company working to improve people’s lives and the health system. He also travels the country as a volunteer helping to promote healthy living.

“My kids last night kept saying, ‘Daddy, daddy, let’s go get in the pool,’ and I was like, ‘Oh, I’m so tired,’” Hayes said.

Like many other parents, Hayes has days where he just wants to hang out at home. But, through his work, he understands that parents should more often than not, spend time doing something active with their children.

“And then I was like, ‘You know what, no. There’s only a month left of summer, my kids wanna swim, I’m gonna go swim,’” Hayes said. “So we went and swam for an hour and a half last night.”

United Healthcare and the Salt Lake Boys and Girls Club joined professional bike racers to give away 100 bicycle safety helmets Friday during a Tour of Utah cycling race event. Hayes was there too, encouraging  families to teach their children about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and cycling safety.

“We look at the rising health care costs in the U.S. and around the world, more particularly in the U.S.,” Hayes said, “and a large part of it is that we need to take more ownership ourselves and eating right and being healthy and exercising. And if we can instill those values in kids at a young age, then they are going to grow up to be healthier in the long run; and you know, live longer, healthier, happier lives. It will help lower health costs for everyone, it’s just a win-win all the way around. So whenever we can reach out to kids and try to get them early, it’s a great thing.”

Detective Richard Chipping is with the Salt Lake City Police Department. He and other volunteers trained youth and their parents to pay attention to all traffic signs, look both ways before crossing the street and shows them how to wear a safety helmet.

“Trying to instill those good habits early on,” Chipping said, “making sure kids don't have to learn the hard way and they’ll find that they will be safe and have a more enjoyable time. You know, like I said, it’s simple things, but those pay off in the long run.”

 

The Tour of Utah concludes on Sunday at the state capitol in Salt Lake. The free helmet safety event was one of several events happening in Logan, Brigham City and along the Wasatch Front during the professional cycling tour.