As the weather gets warmer we would like to remind everyone of some safety when it comes to bikes:
- Wearing a helmet on a bike should be mandatory for everyone in the family, no matter where you are or how short the ride might be.
- Helmets should be worn on every type of bike, including those with training wheels, strider bikes, unicycles, scooters, tricycles, roller skates and rollerblades. The rule of thumb is: if it has wheels put on a helmet!
- Each year in the United States, about half a million kids are seriously injured in bicycle-related accidents, and most of those injuries could have been avoided if a helmet was worn. To protect against brain injury, make sure your kids wear a correctly fitting helmet on every ride.
Helmet Tips:
- Make sure the helmet has a good fit:
- The helmet should sit low on the forehead, 1–2 finger widths above the eyebrows.
- Straps should form a “V” shape just below the ears.
- The chin strap must be tight enough that only one or two fingers fit under it, and the helmet stays in place when the child opens their mouth.
- A helmet with bright colors might help make your child more visible to drivers and other cyclists.
- Make sure the helmet has a CPSC or ASTM sticker, that means it has met safety standards.
- Replace a helmet every 5-10 years, or if it has been in a crash or is damaged.
- Don’t buy a larger helmet for “room to grow” as it will not provide the right protection if it is too large.
