Bike Helmet Safety

Posted by Charlina Stewart Jun 3, 2008

According to Safe Kids USA, “Nearly 28 million children ages 5 to 14 ride bikes, and the popularity of scooters, skates, skateboards and other wheeled sports has skyrocketed. Each year thousands of these kids are disabled or die as a result of a wheel-related brain injury.” One of the simplest ways to minimize the occurrence of these head injuries is to make sure your children wear helmets each time they ride bikes. Listed below are a few safety tips to follow when using bike helmets.

1. Provide children with properly fitted bike helmets that meet the standards of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
2. Never allow your children wear other headgear under their bike helmets.
3. Always secure the straps on a bike helmet properly.
4. Always position a bike helmet level on a child’s head. If it’s too far back, it leaves the forehead vulnerable to injury.
5. Never allow kids to wear bike helmets backwards.
6. Never allow your child use a second-hand bike helmet. The safety of it may have been compromised from previous misuse or damage.
7. Never use a bike helmet after it has sustained an impact from an accident.

Bikes can be a great source of fun and a perfect way to encourage physical activity--but always remember to put your child's safety first.