May: National Bicycle Safety Month
Helmets and Bicycle Safety Help Our Kids Enjoy the Ride
By Cynthia K. Recinto M.D.
Springtime is a wonderful time of year for many youngsters as they head outdoors to enjoy the sunny, warm weather. Although their activities vary, many of our children enjoy riding their bicycles. If they practice safety, bike riding can be a great form of recreation for kids offering them plenty of fun and exercise.
May is National Bicycle Safety Month, which gives us a great opportunity to remind our children about bicycle safety. There are five major bicycle safety rules for children to remember that will keep them safe while biking this spring.
Always wear a helmet.
Every year over 800 people die in the U.S. from bicycle crashes and another 550,000 pay a visit to the hospital emergency room with injuries.
Hospital emergency room studies show that a helmet can prevent nearly 85 per cent of these types of head traumas. Children should never ride a bike anywhere without a helmet. The fall is from the same height wherever they ride.
Never ride out into a street without stopping first.
Nearly a third of car/bike crashes involving a young child occur when a child rides a bicycle down a driveway or from a sidewalk into a busy street. Kids must learn to stop, look left, look right, look left again and listen to be sure no cars are coming before entering a street. Look left that second time because cars coming from the left are on the child's side of the street and are closer. Children must understand that simply because they see a car does not mean the driver of that car sees them.
Obey stop signs.
Nearly another third of the car/bike crashes with a young child occur when a child rides through a stop sign or red light without yielding to crossing traffic. Kids must learn to stop, look left, look right, then look left again at all stop signs, stop lights and intersections before crossing, Make sure they know the basics about stop signs and stop lights. When riding in a group, each bicyclist must stop and make sure it is clear before crossing. Young children should be taught to walk their bikes through busy intersections. They must know that it is the law to obey traffic signals even when there appears to be no traffic.
Look back before swerving, turning or changing lanes.
Finally, other car/bike crashes involving children occur when a child turns suddenly into the path of faster moving traffic. Kids must learn to look behind them, signal and look back again before swerving or changing lanes. Children should not be allowed to ride alone until they have mastered this skill.
Never follow another rider without applying bicycle safety rules.
Many bicycle fatalities occur when the first rider violates one of the three rules above and the second one follows blindly. Running stop signs or red lights, riding out of driveways or zipping across lanes all seem natural to the second child because they are more focused on following the other rider than on the rules.
Following these basic bicycle safety rules should help our children to keep the good times rolling this spring and summer; however, if your child should get into an accident and an emergency is presented remember that the professional Emergency Room Department of the Jersey Shore Hospital is equipped and prepared 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-week to handle a medical emergency situation.
Biographical Information
Cynthia K. Recinto M.D. is a new primary care provider at Jersey Shore Hospital, after starting a private practice in Internal Medicine in Jersey Shore last September. Being a physician for more than 15 years, Dr. Recinto's medical experience includes work in family practice and pediatrics.
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