Bicycle Safety

在儿童急诊室就诊时，自行车撞车仅次于汽车。每天，大约有1,000个孩子最终在医院急诊室受伤，尤其是5至14岁的孩子，他们受伤的频率比任何其他年龄的骑自行车的人都要高。每天大约有一个孩子死亡这些伤害。其他人则遭受终生问题，例如脑损伤或使用腿部困难。

Helmets are the most important safety item for bicycle riders. Helmets are a necessity - not an accessory! In fact, wearing a helmet can reduce head injuries up to 85 percent.

Parents should follow these simple safety tips before sending their kids out for a bike ride.

完美的头盔

• Choose a helmet that meets safety standards.
• Make sure the helmet fits your child and they are wearing it correctly every time they are on their bike -- even riding in the driveway or down the block.
• 举个例子，成年人也需要戴头盔。

安装头盔

有许多大小和形状。你应该prepared for the possibility that the helmet you are trying to fit and may not be compatible with this particular head. You should expect to spend 20 to 30 minutes to get your helmet properly fitted.

您希望头盔一直舒适地触摸头部，水平且稳定，以抵抗猛烈的摇动或强烈打击并留在原地。它应该尽可能低，以最大程度地覆盖侧面覆盖，并舒适地舒适地将其保持在头部上。适合垫子的头盔至少配有一套泡沫固定垫，如果您有第二组较厚的垫子，则可以使用它来自定义形状。

Position of a helmet

The helmet should be level on the rider's head. If the rider uses glasses, it should sit just above the frame of the glasses. The helmet should sit evenly between the ears and rest low on the forehead so it is barely visible to the rider's eye slightly over the eyebrow. If you walk into a wall, the helmet should hit before your nose does!

The” Y” of the side straps should meet just below your ear. The chin strap should be snug against the chin so that when you open your mouth very wide you feel the helmet pull down a little bit.

Tightness of a helmet

Move the helmet side to side and front to back, watching the skin around the rider's eyebrows as it should move slightly with the helmet. You can also have your child shake their head back and forth and up and down as the helmet should go with head. If it does not, the pads are probably too thin in front or back or the helmet may even be too large. Add pads as needed or adjust tightening ring on helmet.

Allow as much as a 30 minutes to get a proper helmet fit. If fitting your child, don't try to rush it as they are trying to go outside to ride. Instead, do it while he or she is watching TV or is relaxed so you have plenty of time. Make sure you secure the adjustments so the helmet is ready for the next ride!

Remember that helmets need to be worn with other sports including riding a scooter, rollerblading, skateboarding, sledding, snow skiing, riding ATVs and horseback riding.

The perfect bike

• 确保自行车适合您的孩子。如果太大，他们将很难控制。
• When sitting on the bike, your child should be able to just about fully extend their legs to reach the pedals when they are in the lowest position.
• When standing astride the bar with their feet flat on either side, there should be about 1 to 2 inches of space between their crotch and the crossbar for a road bike and 3 to 4 inches for a mountain bike.
• 对于仍在增长的孩子，请确保可以将自行车的座椅和车把可以抬高一点以适应其新高度。

The perfect bike rider

• 在离开车道或巷子时，教您的孩子停下来看看左右左。有些汽车上的人只是看不到骑自行车的人。
• 始终沿着与交通相同的方向骑在街道的右侧。永远不要在交通上骑行。
• If cycling with friends, have everyone ride single file
• Kids 10 and younger should ride on the sidewalks whenever possible.
• Never let your child ride at night or with head phones.
• 让您的孩子知道他们可以骑的安全地方：公园，自行车道和人行道。
• Never let your child give someone a ride on their bike, like on the handlebars or standing on the back wheel.

Remember riding bikes can be a fun way for kids and yourself to get exercise when done safely.