TigerChef

Summer and bike riding go hand-in-hand. It’s fun, it’s healthy and it’s outdoors! That is if the safety rules are followed. Before letting your child go bike-riding, be sure to teach him/her to go the safe way. Always remember to:

Up the pressure-Low air pressure in tires can go unnoticed until they are 50% under-inflated which can be extremely dangerous.  Before riding, press down on the tires with your hands to check the air pressure or, the safer way, use a tire gauge to check the tire pressure. All tires have the right tire pressure printed on the side of the tires.

The right way to brake- Kids should brake using the front and back brakes simultaneously. Braking with just the front tires, can cause the child to be thrown off the bike, over the handle bars, head first! Apply pressure to just the back brakes will cause the bike to swerve out to one side.

Make your child seen- 45% of the most serious bike accidents are caused by poor visibility at sundown and night. Be firm with your kids- do not allow them to bike-ride once the sun starts to set. In addition, affix reflective tape to their bikes and helmets, both in the front and back so that motorist heading in either direction should be able to see your child at all times of day and in all weather conditions.

Wear helmets- They can be pretty annoying and sweaty but wearing a helmet reducing the risk of head injuries by 85% and brain injury by 88%. Make sure that the helmet is positioned right with the side straps and chin straps fitting properly.

Adjust the seat- A large majority of bikes come with an adjustable seat. The height of the seat should be determined by the bends of the knees. When the leg is fully extended, there should be a slight bend at the knee. The seat should be leveled evenly front to back.

Last but certainly not least- Teach your child the road safety rules. Stop at the stop sign, cross only at a designated crossing area, get off the bike and look right and left before crossing to make sure that there are no moving vehicles in close proximity.

Be safe, wear a helmet and obey the road safety rules each and every time. Have a happy and safe summer!

Filed under: General

Tags: biking