As kids go back to school, bike safety is a priority

As Pinellas County kids get ready to start the new school year, some plan to ride their bikes to and from school. Certainly, there are advantages, from promoting exercise to making parents’ schedules a bit less hectic.

That said, it’s important to make sure kids ride safe. Children 14 and under account for a large percentage of the bicyclists hurt in motor vehicle crashes nationally – the Safe Kids USA organization has estimated that figure to be nearly a third of all bike injuries.

So with that in mind, here are some tips for parents as they work to help ensure that their kids’ ride to school is a safe one:

1. It can be a challenge, but get your child to wear a helmet. Have them help select their helmet, so they may be more apt to wear it. Also, for younger kids, provide fun stickers or markers to let them personalize it. If they balk, help them understand that more than 90 percent of fatal bike accidents involve a cyclist with no helmet.

2. Once they agree to wear a helmet, make sure they wear it correctly. A helmet worn on the back of your head, or hung on the handlebar, does you no good. You can go online to learn how to properly fit a helmet, or look for a bike rodeo in your community, which can help in teaching the kids this and other things about bike safety.

3. An adult-sized helmet doesn’t provide adequate safety for a child. Make sure your child’s helmet fits correctly, and replace the helmet every two years, or if it’s damaged.

4. The bike needs to fit the rider. Riders should be able to have the balls of their feet touch the ground when they are sitting on the seat with their hands on the handlebars.

5. Be a good role model. Wear your helmet when you ride. Teach and follow all the traffic rules when you ride with your kids.

6. Ride with your child to school the first week. Point out potentially dangerous spots. Help them develop good habits.

7. Try to have your kids ride in a group. This is important for safety in general. Also, drivers will more readily see a group of riders crossing the street as opposed to one rider.

8. Have your student be highly visible. All bikes should have a light on the front and a blinking light in back. Have them wear bright clothing, in particular if it’s raining or getting dark.

9. Make sure your child wears closed shoes, not flip-flops. Many bike accidents happen when the rider can’t properly hit the brakes because improper footwear slips on the pedals.

10. Teach your kids proper hand signals to use, stressing the importance of letting drivers know when you are turning. Teach them to always cross the street at designated crosswalks.

And last, encourage your kids to stay alert as they ride. Tell them not to assume that drivers see them. And don’t assume that just because they are off a major highway they can relax or do silly stunts. More than half of children’s bike injuries occur on minor roads within one mile of the rider’s home (according to the National Center for Safe Routes to School).

For more information on bike safety, feel free to contact me at CCobb@SunstarEMS.com.