Child Bike Helmet Safety

"Good Housekeeping" magazine reports that out of 350,000 bike-related accidents every year among kids younger than 15 that result in emergency room treatment, 130,000 are head injuries. Two hundred of those children will die, but wearing a helmet while biking reduces the risks up to 85 percent. They are not a foolproof preventative, but Angela Mickalide, Ph.D., head of the National Safe Kids Campaign, says, "Wearing one is better than wearing none at all."

Selection

Select a bike helmet that fits your child properly. "Good Housekeeping" recommends buying a helmet with a rear stabilizer that helps it stay in the proper position. The helmet should sit level on the youngster's head rather than tipping backward. It should be snug enough that it stays in place without moving from side to side. A properly sized helmet will be tight enough to prevent two fingers from being placed between its interior and the child's temples. The chin strap should be tight enough to prevent the helmet from being pulled or twisted when it is fastened. A child should be able to feel it pushing on her head when she opens her mouth as wide as possible while the strap is in place.

Quality

A good bike helmet will have a a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, American Society for Testing and Materials or Snell Memorial Foundation sticker prominently displayed. This means it has been extensively tested and meets rigorous protection standards, "Good Housekeeping" says. Helmets with these stickers might be more expensive, but they will give your child the best possible protection. The Nemours Kids Health website advises letting your child help choose the helmet. She will be more likely to wear it if she selects a color or pattern she enjoys or if you let her customize it with stickers. Reflective stickers add an extra measure of safety by making her more visible in the dark.

Use

Teach your child to wear her helmet every time she rides her bicycle. Impose this rule whether he is planning to spend a day exploring with his friends or whether he is simply riding around the block to the store. A fall can happen anywhere and any time. Turn helmet wearing into a habit for your youngster. Nemours emphasizes that kids should also learn to make sure the helmet is always buckled. Impose consequences if you discover he's riding without protection. Punishment is much better than disabling injury or death.

Time Frame

Children can go through rapid growth spurts, and an ill-fitting helmet will not offer proper protection. "Good Housekeeping" recommends checking the fit on your child's helmet every year or two. Replace it if it is too small or tight or does not sit correctly on the youngster's head. A bike helmet should also be replaced if it breaks or any pieces fall off or if the youngster has been in an accident while wearing it.

Warning

"Good Housekeeping" warns that even approved helmets in good condition might not protect your child from injuries or death. It states that helmets might be recalled if they are found to flunk Consumer Product Safety Commission standards after they are sold. Some helmets are not recalled even if they do not appear to offer adequate protection. For example, one helmet brand failed the "Good Housekeeping" Institute's safety tests but was left on the market.

References

• Good Housekeeping: Children's Bike Helmets
• Kids Health: Bike Safety