National Bike Month highlights need for kids to use smart, safe bicycling habits on the road

May 21, 5:55 PMChild Safety ExaminerSusan Carney

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May is the perfect month for National Bike Month, since neighborhoods across America suddenly seem to be teeming with kids on bikes into the early evening hours. The weather is warmer, daylight lasts longer, and it’s the perfect time for kids to get in a little bike time before bed.

For many kids, their first bike is their first taste of independence and freedom. Finally, a way they can quickly escape their parents’ clutches! Fun certainly has its place, but unless you live on a street with zero traffic, its best to keep some basic safety precautions in mind.

1. Make sure your child’s bike is the proper size. Don’t buy a bike for him to “grow into.” If the bike is too big, you are increasing the chances of an accident. Kids should be able to sit on the seat with feet flat on the ground and hands on the handlebars.

2. Make sure your kids wear a helmet when riding a bike or tricycle. It’s the law in many states, and for good reason. Traumatic Brain Injury is the leading cause of disability and death among children, and bikers get hit in the head in three out of four bike accidents. (Bicycle Safety brochure, PA Senator John Rafferty). Bike helmets don’t have to be a drag. Let your child pick out a cool one (just make sure its CPSC approved: there will be a sticker right on it that says that it is) or she can dress up a plain Jane one with some stickers. Kids should wear bike helmets each time they ride, even if it’s just in front of their house. Accidents can, and do, happen everywhere.

3. Little kids are still working on skills like coordination, balance, and judgment of risks, so they probably need lots of supervision while riding their bikes. They also tend to get self-absorbed; they won’t be as likely to notice traffic because their too busy focusing on what they are doing.

4. Kids should not ride barefoot or wearing shoes like sandals or flip flops that can get tangled in the pedals. Long clothing that can get caught in the spokes is also a no-no, as are backpacks, purses, and the like. Bright colored clothing will make your child more visible to drivers. Don’t let kids ride at dusk or in the dark, even with reflectors. It’s just plain harder to see and be seen. Also, one person per bike, please. No riding friends on the handlebars.

5. Start teaching hand signals early. When kids are older and riding their bikes in traffic, they will need to know how to communicate with other drivers. When in traffic, older kids should always ride with traffic, obey all traffic signs and signals, and try to be as aware as possible of what cars, pedestrians, and other bicycles are doing. Be wary of cars coming out of driveways, doors opening suddenly on parked cars, and other surprises.