Bike Safety: Ensure a Safe Ride for Your Kids This Summer

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Riding a bike is not only an excellent source of exercise, but it is also a fun activity for families. Whether your child is an experienced or new rider, safety is the top priority. Did you know that more than 2.2 million children have visited an emergency room for a bike-related injury?

According to a study from the Center for Injury Research and Policy of the Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, bruises, scrapes and cuts accounted for the most treated injuries, while trauma to the head made up 11% of the treated cases. What can help your children avoid injury and enjoy biking this summer? Use essential safety equipment, focus on techniques to ride a bike and incorporate habits to increase safety regardless of their ages.

Essential safety equipment

The most essential piece of bike safety equipment is—say it, now—a helmet! Helmets do the lion’s share of work when it comes to providing protection for your child’s face, head and brain. Falls are inevitable with biking; injuries are not. Think about it this way. If your children wear a helmet every time they bike, they reduce their chances of head injury by at least 45%.

Eileen M. McDonald is the senior scientist and director for the Injury Free Coalition for Kids at Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy. She says that aside from optional elbow and knee pads for younger riders, “a properly fitted helmet is the priority and is the most essential piece of bike safety equipment.”

In a YouTube video entitled, “You Make the Call,” McDonald worked with teens to stress the importance of helmet use.

The point is driven home by comparing helmets to cellphone cases! If teens put the same amount of care into their head safety with helmet use as they did with protecting their cellphones, the rates of injury would come down even more. Helmets are designed to “take the impact … and that allows the energy from the fall to dissipate through the helmet rather than through your head,” according to McDonald.

Tips for teaching your child to ride a bike

You may not realize it, but the top tip to help teach your child how to ride a bike is confidence. As parents, we help shape the view our children have of themselves, and the same is true when it comes to learning a new skill. When you begin teaching your child to ride a bike:
• Check your temperament and your overall body language.
• Use a calm and patient tone.
• Be observant to avoid rushing children beyond their comfort level.
• Speak using reassuring and affirming phrases such as “you can do it!” or “I am so impressed by your confidence!”
• Be a good role model by wearing your helmet and by practicing safe riding techniques.

Along with parents being good role models, McDonald suggests parents take advantage of “a protected area (such as) a court where there’s not a lot of traffic” or an empty school parking lot to teach your child how to ride in a controlled environment. Spaces like these examples remove the fear of crowded trails or roadways, giving them ample space to practice pedaling, turning and perfecting their balance.

Safety tips for all children

Regardless of your child’s age, safety comes first. When shopping for a helmet, Joe Traill, owner of Joe’s Bike Shop on Falls Road in Mount Washington, advocates for purchasing a helmet from a bike shop over a department-style store. Helmets carried at local bike shops have undergone “better testing and they are made from better materials.” Believe it or not, you won’t face a significant increase in price either.

Keep head, brain and face safety in mind! In addition to wearing a helmet during every ride, focus on practicing the following tips:
1. Select a bicycle that is the proper size and height for your child. Do your homework before you go shopping and enlist the expertise of the staff where you purchase the bike.
2. Invest in yearly tuneups at a bike shop to check gears, tires and proper functioning. Traill advises parents to visit bike shops to determine the cost for this essential service as prices vary among locations.
3. Wear closed-toe athletic shoes to protect feet and offer proper arch support. Avoid wearing loose-fitting clothes that could get caught in the gears or pedals.
4. Inspect your child’s bicycle regularly for any abnormalities. At most, “check to make sure there is air in the tires and that the bike gears are lubricated with a bike-specific lubricant,” Traill says.

Baltimore offers beautiful and safe options for family biking. With the proper safety equipment, tips and techniques, you can enjoy miles of fun together!

About Krystal Henry

One comment

  1. You made a good point when you said that you must choose a bicycle that is the proper size and height for your child to ensure their safety. This is something that I will consider because I am planning to tour my children next week. Since I want to rent bicycles for them to enjoy, I will surely do your tips.

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