"Pedaling into Summer with Bicycle Safety
May is National Bike Month and kids across the country are pumping up the tires on their
two-wheelers for some bike-riding fun. Whether your child will be logging hours of
riding time, or just a couple of laps around the driveway, it’s important to reinforce some
basic safe cycling guidelines:

- Establish rules for when and where your child can ride a bicycle based on age and
ability. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends children age
10 and younger ride only on sidewalks.

- Check your child’s bike and helmet for proper fit and function. Many states have laws
requiring bicyclists under age 18 to wear a helmet. Bicycle helmets have been proven to
reduce the risk of head injury in an accident by more than 85 percent.

- Most bicycle accidents are due to falls. Teach children to tie their shoes, avoid hazards
like uneven payment, rocks or sticks, and keep both hands on the handlebars.

- Teach safe riding skills to older children, including awareness of other riders or
vehicles, looking both ways before crossing the road and how to use hand signals for
turning or stopping.

One of the best ways to teach your children bicycle safety is by example. Always wear a
helmet and practice safe riding skills. Your kids will follow your lead and enjoy a
summer of cycling fun.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Prevent Bicycle Crashes: Parents and Caregivers,
www.nhtsa.gov, visited March 15, 2010.

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