According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), “Adolescents, teens and young adults have the highest rates of bicycle-related injuries treated in emergency departments. People ages 10-24 account for nearly one-third of all bicycle-related injuries seen in U.S. EDs.” For this reason, teaching your child bike safety and why it matters is essential.
Start by properly fitting your child to their bike.
Your child should be able to stand comfortably over their bike with both feet flat on the ground. There should be a few inches of clearance between the bike tube (the top of the bike frame) and their groin. Additionally, they should be able to easily reach handlebars, pedals, and squeeze the lever brakes.
Protect your child’s head with a helmet.
According to the Brain Injury Association of America, “The use of bicycle helmets was found to reduce head injury by 48%, serious head injury by 60%, traumatic brain injury by 53%, face injury by 23%, and the total number of killed or seriously injured cyclists by 34%.” Choosing a bike helmet approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) helps ensures your child’s safety. To size a bike helmet, follow these best practices:
- The helmet should sit level on your child’s head with no more than two fingers width between their eyebrows and the front rim of the helmet.
- The side straps should form a “V” shape around the ears, and the chin strap should be snug enough for only one to two fingers to fit between the strap and your child’s chin.
- A helmet should fit tight but comfortably. Make sure the helmet does not move when your child shakes their head or moves from side to side.
Ultimately, you want to ensure your child’s helmet is secure and comfortable so that you feel confident in your child’s safety.
If your child is responsible to ride on their own, follow these important safety reminders.
- Your child should wear an identifying item if riding alone—wristbands or necklaces with engraved info; a laminated wallet card in a pocket or bike bag; a helmet sticker with emergency contact info; or smartwatch or GPS tracker for location tracking.
- Check your child’s bike before their ride—tires, brakes and chain—to avoid any mid-ride failures.
- Secure any lose fitting clothing and tie all shoelaces so they don’t become entangled in moving bicycle parts.
- Avoid rides in the early morning, in low light, or after dark.
- Younger riders should utilize the sidewalk when available but make sure that they also follow local laws when they become older. They should use bicycle trails if they are available, or bicycle lanes for road travel. If riding on the road, obeying the rules of the road is important.
- Use hand signals
- Ride in the same direction as traffic
- Follow all signs and traffic signals
- Walk a bike across busy intersections
- Stop, look left and right before crossing a street
Remember, most bicycle-related injuries are preventable. Start bike safety early by teaching your child the basics of bike safety—riding the right-sized bike, wearing a helmet, and following the rules of the road. These simple tips can make all the difference in keeping your child safe. For any questions or concerns, contact our Injury Prevention Program.
This information was medically reviewed by the Injury Prevention Program, part of Indiana’s longest-standing Level I Pediatric Trauma Center at Riley Hospital for Children in downtown Indianapolis.