Falcon firefighters teach bicycle safety as part of their annual safety presentations to local second-graders. However, bike riders of every age should take precautions to stay safe while riding. This is even more important as students begin returning to classes and traffic increases around the schools.According to the National Safety Council, in 2015, bicycles were involved in more injuries than skateboards, trampolines, swimming pools and playground equipment combined. The NSC reported that 488,123 people were treated in emergency rooms for bike-related injuries that year, and 1,100 deaths resulted from collisions with motor vehicles.Here are some tips to be safe and enjoy the ride.
- Wear a helmet that fits properly. (Helmets are also a good idea when skating, skateboarding and riding scooters!) Visit https://www.safekids.org/tip/bike-safety-tips for more information about proper helmet fit.
- Adjust the bicycle to fit the rider.
- Keep bicycles maintained. Make sure that tires are properly inflated and brakes work.
- Carry books or other items in a bicycle carrier or backpack to keep hands free and on the handlebars.
- Wear bright clothing for visibility and avoid riding at night. If riding at night is necessary, use a bright headlight, wear reflective clothing and use reflectors and/or a flashing warning light on the rear of the bicycle to alert motorists.
- Obey traffic laws and use hand signals when turning. Always use extra care at intersections.
- Ride single-file in the direction of traffic.
- Before entering traffic, stop and look left, right, then left again, and over the shoulder.
- Make eye contact with drivers before crossing the street to make sure they are paying attention.
- Watch for opening car doors, potholes, broken pavement and other road hazards.
- Never hitch onto cars.
