Practicing proper bicycle safety is a must for all children and adults. There is no room for unsafe bicycling when you are near vehicles. It is imperative to have periodic reminders about what is acceptable and what isn’t when you are on a bicycle.
Parents must ensure that their children know about these guidelines so that they can remain safer whether they are riding alone or with someone else. These can come in handy when the kids are exploring the neighborhood or riding to school.
Know where to ride
One thing that children must know is that they can’t ride against traffic. They should always ride with the flow of traffic all the way to the right side of the road. Bicyclists riding against the flow of traffic are at an increased risk of being struck by a car.
If your child will be riding somewhere alone, make sure that they know the route well. This gives you a chance to have a say in where a safe route is located. When you are going over the route with them, remind them where they need to stop, including stop signs and traffic lights along the way. Also discuss the use of hand signals since this lets drivers know where they are going.
Wear the proper safety gear
Safety gear is a must for bicyclists, but it isn’t a substitute for safe practices and common sense. At a minimum, people riding bicycles should have on a helmet. You can’t just pick up whatever helmet is laying around. Instead, find a helmet that is approved by the Consumer Products Safety Commission and that fits snuggly. Wearing bright colors and sneakers to ride can also help to improve safety.
Talk about the risks of bicycling
More than 600 children die from bicycle falls and hundreds of thousands of them are injured each year. Parents must teach their children that bicycling is a fun activity but that it demands respect. When anyone is out riding, remembering to use safety practices can make the entire outing much more enjoyable.
If something does happen and your child suffers an injury in a bike accident, you might realize that it is a costly healing process. Look into compensation for the crash so that you can hold the driver who struck your child accountable for the damages.