Scott Bohemier, Western Nevada Safe Routes to School coordinator, demonstrates how to wear a bike helmet to Seeliger Elementary School second graders May 10.
Photo by Jessica Garcia.
Carson City resident Katherine Rodriguez is learning how she can use her daughter’s story to educate students and parents about traffic safety in the community.
Rodriguez is the mother of Lexi Rodriguez, 14, who died Jan. 28 after she was struck by a car at North Carson Street and Nye Lane. She is partnering with Western Nevada Safe Routes to School coordinator Scott Bohemier and Tina Lonon, Safe Routes champion, who provide presentations to schools on pedestrian and bicycle safety techniques.
On May 10, Rodriguez shadowed Bohemier as spoke with Seeliger Elementary School students about being alert, using crosswalks, making eye contact with drivers, wearing safety gear on bikes and scooters and staying safe at all times.
“Today, I was just watching, listening, learning a lot of good stuff,” Rodriguez said. “Scott is amazing and Tina is, also. They were just giving the kiddos very vital information about pedestrian safety and bicycle safety and I got to see it for the first time.
“I’m looking forward to coming back and hopefully soon we’ll get to share Lexi’s story and give the kids something to feel and make it personal.”
Rodriguez said it’s equally important to offer parents information they can use in the home about the rules of the road.
“We talk to them about drugs, we talk to them about predators and all the dangers in the world, but we overlook the simple things,” Rodriguez said. “When you’re talking to your kids about stranger danger and drugs and vaping, hey, throw in there, ‘Make eye contact with drivers.’”
Bohemier also emphasized the importance of pedestrians making eye contact with drivers through Safe Routes’ campaign this year. Signs have been placed on Jump Around Carson buses and shelters to raise awareness, he said.
“You don’t have to verbally communicate,” he said. “You can make eye contact to know it’s safe to cross.”
Bohemier said he’s glad Rodriguez is part of the effort to come into schools to put a “life” on the safety message they put out to kids. Bohemier said Rodriguez’s message will be fitting for older students at the middle or high schools. Bohemier said he takes the issue personally, having been in multiple bike crashes, and works to keep his family members safe.
Bohemier first met the Rodriguez family after Lexi died. The incident caught his attention when it was announced on the news because he has a niece whose name was Lexi, he said, and that was enough to start pushing out the safety message more.
“I went to the Carson City principals’ meeting and all the schools really want this in their schools,” he said. “And I think having Katherine go out to the high schools, with her daughter being a freshman, they need to be shocked a little more.”