THE father of a teenager who died after his bicycle collided with a car has backed a cycling safety initiative.

Jake Chapman, a pupil at The Knights Templar School in Baldock, was 14 when he died from multiple injuries after his bicycle and a car were in collision on Norton Road, Baldock, in December 2009.

Jake’s father, Ray Chapman, of Chilvers Bank in Baldock, last week supported a North Hertfordshire Homes’ initiative to highlight to school pupils the discipline and focus needed when riding a bicycle.

Wearing helmets, Hitchin, Letchworth GC and Baldock students cycled around an obstacle course while wearing beer goggles to distort their vision.

Mr Chapman said: “Considering all the health and safety rules out there, it’s daft that it’s still not compulsory to wear a bike hat when cycling.

“Cyclists can reach speeds of 30mph – the same speed as scooters, where it’s compulsory to wear helmets.”

The students were given bike reflectors to make them more visible and had a competition to win new bike hats to encourage them to be more safety conscious.