Bike/Wheel Safety

There are so many great reasons to ride your bike: It offers fun, freedom and exercise, and it’s good for the environment. We want kids and families to ride their bikes as much as possible. Here are a few tips so that you’ll be safe while you do so.

The Facts

More children ages 5 to 14 are seen in emergency rooms for injuries related to biking than any other sport. Helmets can reduce the risk of severe brain injuries by 88 percent – yet only 45 percent of children 14 and under usually wear a bike helmet.

Top Tips

• We have a simple saying: “Use your head, wear a helmet.” It is the single most effective safety device available to reduce head injury and death from bicycle crashes.
• Wear tennis shoes or shoes that cover the toes completely and will not slide off their feet.
• It’s important to hear vehicles and others on the road, so leave your headphones at home while riding your bike.
• Tell your kids to ride on the right side of the road, with traffic, not against it. Stay as far to the right as possible. Use appropriate hand signals and respect traffic signals, stopping at all stop signs and stoplights.
• Teach your kids to make eye contact with drivers. Bikers should make sure drivers are paying attention and are going to stop before they cross the street.
• When riding at dusk, dawn or in the evening, be bright and use lights – and make sure your bike has reflectors as well. It’s also smart to wear clothes and accessories that have retro-reflective materials to improve biker visibility to motorists.
• Inspect bikes to make sure they are the appropriate size, have working brakes, and tires are properly inflated.
• Actively supervise children until you’re comfortable that they are responsible to ride on their own.

How to Fit a Bike Helmet

• Center the helmet on the child’s forehead, approximately 2 fingers above the eyebrow.
• Center the buckle below the child’s chin.
• Adjust the clips to form a “V” below the child’s ear.
• Tighten the straps so that no more than 2 fingers fit between chin and straps.
• Make sure the helmet is level and snug. It should feel tight when the child opens his/her mouth.

For more information, see the resource button on the right and view the videos below.

Are you unsure if your child’s helmet fits correctly or need to get them a new one?  Contact Safe Kids Springfield at the Mercy Injury Prevention Center on our Safety Hotline, 417-820-SAFE (7233) to schedule a fitting appointment.