Tune up your bikes, and get riding!
Around the country this month, organizations are sponsoring Bike to School and Bike to Work days. It’s a great time to remind yourselves and your kids about bike safety.
Step 1: “Strap It On, Save a Life.” Having a helmet head is cool—and it protects your brain. Nearly 70 percent of all fatal bicycle crashes involve head injuries. Wearing a properly fitted bicycle helmet can reduce the risk of a brain and head injury by as much as 85 percent. Follow these tips to make sure your helmet is doing its job:
- When buying a helmet look for the label that reads “Complies with U.S. CPSC Safety Standards for Bicycle Helmets.”
- Tighten chin straps and adjust padding so the helmet feels snug, forms a V around the ears, and does not move up and down or side to side. Watch this video from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on how to put a helmet on correctly.
Step 2: Check your family’s bikes for safety.
- Make sure the tires have the proper amount of air.
- Adjust and tighten the seat and handlebars. Remember, kids grow!
- Check and adjust the brakes so your family’s riders can stop quickly.
- Consider taking bikes to a local bike shop for a tune up periodically.
Step 3: Be alert when riding.
- Ride on the right side of the road in a straight, predictable path.
- Children younger than 9 should not ride on roads. They don’t yet have the skills to identify and avoid dangerous situations.
Want to know more? This bicycle safety page has brochures and posters to guide you to better bike riding safety.