Preventing Bike Injuries with Simple Safety Tips

Riding a bike is great exercise, but every year more than 200,000 kids under age 14 go to emergency departments because of bike injuries. Parents can take some simple steps to make sure kids get all of the benefits of bike riding without the dangers:

• The best way to protect kids from brain injury in a fall or bike crash is to be sure they always wear helmets.
• Make sure your child’s bike is the right size – buying a bigger bike that your child can grow into increases the risk of a fall or crash.
• Regularly check to ensure the seat, handlebars and wheels are tight and tires are inflated.
• Children should wear tennis shoes or sneakers when bike riding – flip flops, sandals or bare feet will not grip the pedals and can lead to falls and injuries.
• No one should ever bike with head phones; kids will not be able to hear noises around them, like car horns.
• Make sure children know your rules about where they can ride and how far they can go.
• Kids under age 10 should ride on the sidewalk, not in the street.
• Make sure kids know the rules of the road, like riding single file, crossing at intersections, and never riding against traffic if they have to ride in the street.

Choose the Right Helmet and Use It Correctly

• Use helmets labeled as meeting Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) standards.
• Helmets should be the right size and fit properly. A helmet that falls forward, back, or to the side cannot protect your child’s face, head and brain.
• The helmet should fit level on the head. The rim should be two finger widths above the eyebrows, the straps should make a V under the ears, and the helmet should be snug but not uncomfortable.

How can you tell if a helmet fits correctly to provide the best protection from brain injury? Check out this helmet fitting guide.

Need helmets for yourself or your kids? Check out the Rainbow Safety Store.