Why use helmets:

• Quite simply put, helmets save lives
• The single most effective safety device available to reduce head injury and death from bicycle crashes is a helmet
• Your child is 14 times more likely to survive a bike crash if he/she is wearing a helmet
• Helmets have been shown to reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85% and the risk of brain injury by 88%

Bicycle helmet laws:

• "No person under the age of 16 years shall operate or be a passenger on a bicycle on a highway, bicycle path, or sidewalk under the jurisdiction or control of this state or any local political subdivision thereof without wearing a bicycle helmet."

Choosing a helmet for your child:

• Choose a helmet that meets or exceeds safety standards developed by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission

Correct fit and proper positioning:

• Correct fit is essential
  Helmets should fit comfortably and snug - not too tight but should not rock side-to-side or front-to-back
• Make sure your child wears the helmet correctly
  • Level on top of the head
  • Two fingers above the eyebrow
  • Straps should form a V directly under the ear
  • Strap buckled under the chin
  • Strap should be tightened so that when the child opens his/her mouth wide the straps become snug

Recommendations:

• Set a good example - Adults need to wear helmets when bicycling too
• Assure bicycle readiness - make sure the bike is adjusted properly and that the child can stand over the top tube
• Be sure that the bike is in good working order and that the brakes are working
• Supervision is essential until children develop the necessary traffic skills and judgment
• Riders should be restricted to sidewalks and paths until at least age 10 and can demonstrate the rules of the road

Rules of the Road:

• When on the road, ride with traffic and not against it as far to the right as possible
• Use appropriate hand signals
• Respect traffic signals - stop at all stop signs and red lights
• Stop and look Left-Right and Left again before crossing an intersection
• Yield to traffic coming from behind before turning left at intersections
• Don't ride when its dark - If riding at dusk, dawn or in the evening is unavoidable:
• The front of the bike should have a white light
• The back of the bike should have a reflector
• Wear clothing and accessories that include retroreflective material - bright colored clothing is important, but not enough 

Learn more about child safety at
Safe Kids East Central