If you’re unsure about what bike safety for kids looks like, we’ve got a complete guide for parents. Click here to learn everything you need to know!

Cycling is popular. There are 100 million bikes in the United States, but 854 cyclists were killed on the road in 2018. The trouble is that when an accident happens in traffic between a bicycle and a car, it’s the bike rider who is likely to be hurt.

You’ll want to make sure that your kids learn how to ride a bike and be safe at the same time. If you’re unsure about what bike safety for kids looks like, read on. Here’s your complete guide.

Bike Safety for Kids

Riding a bike can be a fantastic experience for a child. When they first ride without assistance it’s a great achievement for them. A bike can be an early opportunity for a little independence.

The advantages of a bike come with a few disadvantages too. Your child is exposed to additional risks when they ride a bike. Minor and even major injuries including fatal injuries do happen.

Teaching your child to ride a bike isn’t just about teaching them to balance and peddle their bike. It’s also about learning how to do it safely.

If you don’t want to have to engage a bicycle accident lawyer or visit your child in hospital take these simple steps. Deaths of child cyclists are down but there’s no reason to be complacent. As a responsible parent, this is learning that you can do to keep your child safe.

Bicycle Helmet

Children, indeed all bike riders, should wear a bicycle helmet. It must be properly fitting and designed for bike riding. 

It’s not safe to use a helmet designed for other sports. A football helmet is not designed to protect your child’s head in the event of a road accident. A bicycle helmet is designed for the kind of fall that occurs when riding a bike.

Your child should wear a helmet whenever they are riding their bike and not just for longer rides. It’s tempting for your child to jump on their bike and ride it without stopping to get a helmet. Don’t forget that accidents can happen during the shortest of bike rides and they can even occur in a driveway or sidewalk.

Make it an unbreakable rule that your child must not ride their bike unless they are also wearing their bicycle helmet.

Bike Size

Some parents may feel that buying a bike that is too big for their child is sensible given that children grow. They are anticipating that their child will grow into the bike in a short while.

The problem with this thinking is that a child is not able to control a bike that is too big for them. If they cannot control it, they cannot ride safely. It is a false economy to buy a bike that is too big for your child.

Your child should be able to stand over their bike and have around 1 or 2 inches of clearance between them and the bar of the bike. This should be between 3 and 4 inches in the case of a mountain bike.

The bike seat should be level. When seated on it, your child should be able to reach the peddles with a slight bend in their knees. Set the height of the handlebar to the same height as the seat.

Bike Check

Teach your child to carry out a basic safety check of the bike. They should do this check each time they ride it.

Check that the tires are inflated. If they are not fully inflated, inflate them. Check that all the brakes are working properly.

These two checks can be done very quickly and can become a simple ritual to be carried out every time your child rides their bike.

Visibility

Even if your child rides their bike safely, the biggest threat may be from other road users and vehicles. Being seen is essential if you want to avoid another vehicle running into you.

Wear visible clothing. Neon colors, fluorescent clothing, and reflective materials are best. There are special safety sashes and vests that can be worn to aid visibility. Flashing lights for your child’s bike or to attach to clothing are also excellent ways of improving visibility.

Always drive in the direction of the traffic and not against it. This means they are more likely to be seen.

Bike Control

Being in control of their bike means your child can avoid hazards and other vehicles. Help your child to get bike riding skills so that they can control the movement of the bike. Have them practice so that they can weave between obstacles, cycle slowly if necessary, and stop when required.

Carrying things while cycling reduces your child’s ability to control their bike. Holding a bag, books, or other belongings while riding is not safe. If they need to be able to transport belongings, have them wear a backpack or fit a bicycle carrier to the bike.

Hazard Awareness

Being vigilant while riding a bike helps to avoid getting into trouble.

Teach your child to look out for any hazards on the road surface. These can include holes, gravel, or water. Teach them to be aware of what’s behind them.

Other hazards can include dogs, pedestrians, or other road users. Parked cars can be especially dangerous. They should be aware that people in parked cars can sometimes open their doors without checking for passing bikes.

Night Risks

It’s not safe for a child to ride a bike at night. Even if the bike is fitted with lights it is much more dangerous to ride at night than it is to do so in the day time.

Riding at night requires some preparation. There should be reflectors on the back and front of the bike and the tires. Fit a white light on the front and a red one on the back of the bike.

Rules of the Road

Riding on the road means that a bike rider must follow all the rules of the road like any road user. Teach your child about the traffic signs they will encounter and that they must obey them. Equally, they should follow road markings including lane markings.

When riding a bike, just like driving a car, be prepared to yield to other road users when appropriate.

A child under the age of 10 is probably not old enough to ride on the road. If they ride on a sidewalk they should be aware of hazards such as corners, driveways, and parked cars. Check State rules for riding on the sidewalk.

Safe and Fun

Bike safety for kids is essential. It’s a skill for life that will serve them well as they grow up too. Riding a bike can be both safe and fun.

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