How to Keep Kids Safe on a Bicycle

It is a huge accomplishment when your child learns to ride a bicycle without training wheels. It is a key sign of independence for your child. Keep your kids safe when they learn this feat by following all of these guidelines.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Have your child always wear an approved bike helmet. This helmet should be age specific and fit snugly according to the manufacturer's directions.
2. Choose the right size bike. An oversized one can be dangerous since he may not have the coordination to handle and may lose control. He should be able to sit on the seat and place the balls of his feet on the ground.
3. Supervise kids less than 8 years of age at all times on a bicycle. When she gets older, the decision to let her ride solo should depend on traffic, maturity and skills to ensure she is safe on the streets alone.
4. Teach hand signals and have him always understand and follow traffic signals before allowing him to ride in the street. Also, make sure that he rides on the right side of a street with traffic, not against.

Tips & Warnings

• To ensure the helmets meets safety standards, it should be American National Standards Institute (ANSI) or Snell Memorial Foundation approved.
• Helmets should be worn at all times since many accidents on bikes occur on the sidewalks, driveways or bike paths and not necessarily just on streets.
• Have adult bicycle riders wear helmets also to set a standard and create good habits.
• Never let you kids ride their bikes at dusk or after dark. To be safe riding at night requires certain skills and equipment.