Child Bike Seat Safety

Riding a bike with a young child can be fun for the whole family. Some simple safety tips ensure a pleasant ride for both grown-ups and kids.

Children should ride with adults and always wear a helmet.

Age

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children under 12 months of age are too young to ride a bicycle with their parents. This includes rear bike seats, backbacks, frontpacks, front seats, bicycle-towed trailers or tandem third wheels. A child is old enough to ride a bike with his parent when the child has been sitting unsupported for several months. The child's neck muscles must be strong enough to support the weight of a child-size bike helmet that meets the standards of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Front and Rear Child Seats

Child seats should meet the standard for safety as set by ASTM International, an organization that has been setting standards since 1898. Child seats work best for children ages 1 to 3 years of age. All seats should be securely attached to the bike before placing the child in it. Children should be strapped into the seat with a well-designed harness that includes a lap belt that will support the child if he falls asleep. Seats should include spoke guards so the child does not get hands or feet caught in the wheels of the bicycle. When using a front-mounted child seat, the child should not be given anything to hold because he could drop it into the front wheel.

Backpacks and Frontpacks

These pose the greatest risk for the child, and some places outlaw riding with a child in a frontpack or backpack. Packs provide almost no protection for the child in the event of a crash or fall.

Trailers

Bicycle-towed trailers are preferred by the American Academy of Pediatrics for bike riding with children. They have two advantages: trailers can carry larger or older children (up to about 4 years old) and they can carry multiple children at once. In addition, trailers allow for protection against wind, rain and sun. Because the center of gravity with a bike-towed trailer is low, they have the lowest instance of falls and accidents. Children sitting in trailers can carry toys, books, or other objects with them. Make sure the child in the trailer is far enough away that he can't touch or otherwise interact with the bicycle's wheels, and make sure the trailer is hitched properly to the bike. Children in trailers still need to be strapped in with a harness and must wear a proper safety helmet.

Helmets

All children need to wear a helmet, regardless of how they are being carried on an adult's bicycle. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests a lightweight helmet small enough for a child and made with Styrofoam padding. Helmets should fit over the child's forehead and be rounded in the back. The helmet should not be so loose that it falls over the child's eyes.

References

• The American Academy of Pediactrics

Resources

• Riding with children