Bicycle safety

• Do not push your child to ride a two-wheeled bike until he or she is ready, at about age 5 or 6.  
• Stick with coaster (foot) brakes until your child is older and more experienced for hand brakes. 
• Take your child with you when you shop for the bike so he or she can try it out.  
• Buy a bike that is the right size, not one your child has to grow into. Oversized bikes are especially dangerous. 
• Your child needs to wear a helmet on every bike ride, no matter how short or how close to home. 
• Many accidents happen in driveways, on sidewalks and on bike paths, not just on streets. 
• Children learn best by watching you. Whenever you ride your bike, put on your helmet. 
• When purchasing a helmet, look for a label or sticker that says the helmet meets the Consumer Product Safety Commission safety standard. 
• Wearing a helmet at all times helps children develop the helmet habit. 
• A helmet should be worn so that it is level on the head, not tipped forward or backward.
• The strap should be securely fastened, and you should not be able to move the helmet in any direction. 
• Ride with traffic.
• Stop and look both ways before entering the street.
• Stop at all intersections, marked and unmarked.
• Before turning, use hand signals and look all ways.