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Safety  Tips 

You greatly reduce the chances of having a bike-related injury if you follow these simple tips:

Children and adults should always wear a bike helmet every time they ride a bike. Think of a bike helmet as a necessity, not an accessory.

Adults are important role models for children. If you wear a bike helmet, your children are more likely to wear helmets, too.

If your child doesn't want to wear a helmet, find out why. Some children don't like to wear helmets because they fear they will be teased by peers or because they think bike helmets are unattractive. Talk about these concerns with your child and choose a helmet he or she will want to wear.

Buy a bike helmet that meets the national safety standards. When choosing a helmet:

• get one that is the right size;
• make sure it sits on top of the head in a level position, not tilted back on the head;
• adjust the straps for a snug and comfortable fit. Teach children always to keep the helmet straps buckled when riding.

Model and teach children to follow the rules of the road:

• ride on the right side of the road with the traffic flow, not against it;
• obey traffic signs and signals;
• use correct hand signals;
• stop at all intersections and crosswalks, both marked or unmarked;
• stop and look both ways before entering a street;
• yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and skaters.

Have children ride on sidewalks and paths until they are at least 10 years old, are able to show good riding skills, and are able to observe the basic rules of the road.

If riding at dawn, at dusk, or at night, wear reflective clothing (not just light-colored clothing) and make sure that the bike has a headlight and a rear reflector.

Make sure the bike is in good working order, especially the brakes.

Encourage your community to build bike paths to separate bike riders from traffic.

Who Is Affected?

Bike riding is both fun and a great way to exercise. But it also can be a risky activity. In 1997, 813 persons were killed and an estimated 567,000 persons were injured badly enough to need emergency department care as a result of bike crashes in the United States. The toll on young people is especially high: 31% of bike-related deaths were among riders younger than age 16, and two-thirds of those injured were children or young teens.

Many people don't realize the risk of serious injuries from bike crashes. Injuries to the head are particularly dangerous and are the leading cause of death and permanent disability in bike crashes. Each year an estimated 140,000 children are treated in emergency departments for head injuries sustained while riding bikes.

However, many bike-related injuries and deaths could be avoided if riders wore helmets. Wearing a bike helmet reduces the risk of brain injury by as much as 88%, and reduces the risk of injury to the face by 65%. Unfortunately, only about 25% of children aged 4-15 years wear a bike helmet when riding, and teen use of helmets is nearly zero. The main reasons children don't wear helmets are because they aren't fashionable ("cool"), their friends don't wear them, and helmets are thought to be uncomfortable (usually too hot). Another important reason is that the parents or the child never knew about the need to protect oneself from bike-related injury or how effective helmets are in preventing head injuries.

Safety Resources

• Bike and Pedistrian Safety: Know the Facts
• TIPP - About Bicycle Helments
• TIPP - Choosing the Right Size Bicycle for your Child
• TIPP - Bicycle Safety: Myths and Facts
• TIPP - Safe Bicycling Starts Early
• TIPP - Tips for Getting Your Children to Wear Bicycle Helmets
  American Academy of Pediatrics

• The Bike Hub
  National Bicycle Safety Network
  
  Contains many useful bike safety resources.

• Safety City Bike Tour
  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
  
  Materials include: "What to Wear?"; "Danger Zone"; "City Biking"; "Equipment Checkpoint"; "Helmet Junction."

• Pedestrians, Bicycles, & Motorcycles
  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
  
  Titles include: "Your Bicycle Helmet -- A Correct Fit" and "10 Smart Routes to Bicycle Safety and "Wear Bike Helmets on Bicycles -- Not on Playgrounds."
  
  
• New Safety Standard for Bike Helmets including pictures of the proper way to wear your helmet.
  U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

• CPSC Recreational Safety Publications
  U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
  
  Titles include: "What's New About Bicycle Helmets"; "Kids Speak Out on Bike Helmets"; and "Night Bike Riders at Risk: Safety Alert."

• Enjoy Safe Bicycling
  National Safety Council