Saturday, May 05, 2007
Red Cross Bicycle Safety Tips
As the warm weather approaches, people get more active outdoors. The Jersey Coast Chapter of the American Red Cross offers some tips on how to stay safe while biking this season. Each year, approximately 500,000 people are nonfatally injured while riding a bicycle. Close to 800 bicyclists died on U.S. roads in 2005; and 92% of them died in crashes with motor vehicles.
Always wear an approved helmet when cycling. The head or neck is the most seriously injured part of the body in most fatally injured cyclists. Children should wear a helmet even if they are still riding along the sidewalk on training wheels. Some states have helmet laws that apply to young children.
a. Many bicycle injuries can be prevented by wearing a helmet. Always wear a correctly-fitting helmet when riding. Even children using tricycles or bikes with training wheels should wear helmets. Adults should also wear helmets at all times, including when riding with children. The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute has more information on how to fit a helmet.
b. Be sure that helmets meet standards set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the Snell Memorial Foundation or the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Look for a label or a sticker on the box or inside the helmet indicating that it meets the above standards.
c. Wear closed shoes when riding a bike.
d. Make sure your bike and your child's bike have good brakes, a front light and effective reflecting material.
e. Ride only in safe areas and at safe times.
f. Make sure bikes are the correct size for the rider.
g. Learn about bicycle etiquette, laws, and safe riding practices and teach your children about them.
Submitted by Fran Kirschner, Frantasy Enterprises
Always wear an approved helmet when cycling. The head or neck is the most seriously injured part of the body in most fatally injured cyclists. Children should wear a helmet even if they are still riding along the sidewalk on training wheels. Some states have helmet laws that apply to young children.
a. Many bicycle injuries can be prevented by wearing a helmet. Always wear a correctly-fitting helmet when riding. Even children using tricycles or bikes with training wheels should wear helmets. Adults should also wear helmets at all times, including when riding with children. The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute has more information on how to fit a helmet.
b. Be sure that helmets meet standards set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the Snell Memorial Foundation or the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Look for a label or a sticker on the box or inside the helmet indicating that it meets the above standards.
c. Wear closed shoes when riding a bike.
d. Make sure your bike and your child's bike have good brakes, a front light and effective reflecting material.
e. Ride only in safe areas and at safe times.
f. Make sure bikes are the correct size for the rider.
g. Learn about bicycle etiquette, laws, and safe riding practices and teach your children about them.
Submitted by Fran Kirschner, Frantasy Enterprises
