FRAMINGHAM PEDIATRICS:Bicycle Safety >

BICYCLE SAFETY

Some facts and tips on bike helmet safety from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and www.bikehelmet.org:

Bike crashes kill about 900 people each year; more than 200 of these victims are children.
Bike crashes send about 567,000 people to hospital emergency rooms a year; 350,000 of these victims are children.
About 60% of all bike-related deaths involve head injuries.
About 40% of bike ridres don't own a helmet.
Bike ridership rose from an estimated 66.9 million riders in 1991 to 80.6 million today.
More kids, ages 5 to 14, go to hospital emergency rooms with injuries related to biking than with any other sport.
All bike helmets now made in or imported to the U.S. must meed the safety standard set by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Look for the label that says the helmet meets the CPSC safety standard.
The helmet should be specifically designed for bike riding. It should be worn low and level on your head, and the chinstrap should be snapped.
If you hit your head in a bike crash, you should throw away the helmet worn during the crash and purchase a new one. Whiile the outer shell of the helmet may still be intact, the inside cushion may be damaged and will not provide enough protection.

Children (and their parents!) should wear bike helmets each and every time they get on a bicycle!!