Bicycle Safety Guidelines
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) within the Department of Transportation and the U.S. Consumer Protection Safety Commission (CPSC) parents, teachers and motorists should take special precautions to prevent accidents and injuries, as more and more children are riding bicycles during the summer and throughout the school year. The NHTSA and CPSC list the following recommendations on the proper use of bicycle helmets, clothing, rules of the road, and education and training programs in efforts to ensure safer bicycle usage:
- Wear a properly fitted helmet, approved by Snell Memorial Foundation or American National Standards Institute (ANSI) or American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
- Wear appropriate clothing to see and be seen.
- Make certain that the bicycle is sized correctly and maintained regularly.
- Know and obey traffic laws, including avoiding biking at night.
- Participate in education and training programs, frequently offered by local police.
Following are some significant NHTSA statistics regarding annual bicycle related injuries:
- "Each year, almost 900 bicyclists are killed in collisions between bicycles and motor vehicles on roadways."
- "Another 300 are killed in non-roadway collisions in locations such as parks, bike paths and driveways."
- "More than one million bicycle injuries are treated annually. About one-third of the deaths and two-thirds of the injuries involve children under the age of 15."
- "Three out of four deaths are due to head injury, and about one-third of the injuries are to the head and face."
- The most sever injuries are those that cause permanent damage to the brain."
