Children receive instruction while weaving their way through traffic cones at a West Maui Greenway event in 2017. The Keiki Bike Education Program aims to teach young bicyclists proper etiquette and safety in a similar fashion. Photo courtesy Maui Bicycling League

A bicycle driving education course is being offered to students during the after-school A-Plus program.

Led by the Maui Bicycling League in partnership with the Maui Family YMCA, the Keiki Bike Education Program will teach young riders essential biking skills and safety.

The hands-on program will be officially launched at Lahaina Intermediate School during its Spring Break Day Camp this week. Maui Bicycling League chair Saman Dias said her group hopes to eventually offer the program to students in Haiku, Kihei, Lihikai, Pomaikai and Pu’u Elementary Schools by this summer.

The program’s foundation began with an act of generosity by Sovereignty Bike Company, led by Shawn Kahekili, who donated 160 bikes to children affected by the Lahaina Wildfire in 2023.

About 80 of those bikes were donated as Christmas gifts.

Dias said she saw an opportunity to maximize the impact of the remaining bikes by bringing bike education to Maui’s children.

Dias has been working with schools and community partners to create a structured education program that teaches children essential biking skills while fostering confidence, independence, and mental well-being.

The program also teaches laws of the road, including the use of safety equipment. For instance, all juveniles under 16 years old in the state are required to wear a helmet while riding a bicycle.

“This will really be a good way to teach them to respect the rules,” she said.

Dias said she feels receiving an education about bicycle driving will also foster respect for young bicyclists when they become adults driving motor vehicles.

Dias said she and her husband, Lee Chamberlain, became involved in helping to found the Maui Bicycling League after the death of Maui bicyclist Karl Hagen, who was killed while riding a bicycle on a bike path on Piilani Highway north of Kanani Road in 2014.

Dias’ husband was also struck by a motor vehicle that same year but survived the crash.

“We got motivated to do something,” she said.

Dias worked with Ricky Pavao Jones, the Maui Family YMCA Youth Director, to develop the Keiki Bike Education Program and has been an advocate for the West Maui Greenway, a proposed 25-mile, multi-user trail from Ukumehame to Lipoa Point on former cane haul roads that could also serve as an evacuation route during emergencies.

The bicycle riding program is designed for children age 7-13, particularly those in underserved communities and those affected by the Lahaina fire. Supporters include the Samueli Foundation and other donors.

During the classes participants will gain:

• Bike riding skills — Balance, coordination and motor integration

• Road safety and awareness — Helmet use, situational awareness and traffic rules

• Traffic rules and respect for safety — Instilling road safety awareness at a young age

• Group rides and community bonding — Teamwork and social interaction

• Basic bike maintenance — Encouraging responsibility and independence

• Mindfulness and mental well-being — Cycling as a stress-reliever

• Environmental education — Biking as a sustainable transportation choice

The Maui Bicycling League is a subchapter of the Hawaii Bicycling League and an organization working toward promoting a bicycle-friendly Maui. For more, go to MauiBike.org or send queries to maui@hbl.org.