How to Teach a Child Bicycle Safety

Learning to ride a bicycle is one of the crowning achievements in a young child's life. The smile on the face of a child enjoying a bike ride is priceless. Along with fundamental riding techniques, it is also important to teach a child bicycle safety so they can enjoy their bike without getting hurt. Teaching bicycle safety to a child can be easily accomplished by following a few simple steps.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Setting the Basic Rules

1. Tell the child to avoid riding on busy streets.

2. Instruct them to ride only in daylight. Riding after dark demands special equipment and skills that young children don't possess. Encourage them to call for a ride home if they ever find themselves out on their bicycle after dark.

3. Teach the child to stop at every stop sign and look both ways before proceeding. Have them walk their bicycle across intersections rather than riding.

4. Admonish the child to refrain from playing around in the street.

5. Encourage them to avoid giving in to peer pressure and make their own choices. One of their friends may make a dangerous move such as running a stop sign, but it doesn't mean they have to do it, too. This is one of the most important lessons in teaching bicycle safety as children have a tendency to follow the crowd.

Handling Driveways

6. Inform the child that they must stop and look both ways before riding into the street.

7. Stress the importance of waiting for cars to pass.

8. Have the child proceed into the street when safe.

Tips & Warnings

• If your neighborhood has sidewalks, then teach your child to ride on them when possible.
• Be sure to maintain a positive and encouraging attitude when teaching bicycle safety to children.

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