Bicycling is a safe, pleasurable and healthful activity, although children and adults should always wear helmets when riding. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, 75 percent of bicycle-related deaths could have been prevented if all children riding bicycles wore helmets. The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, states that bicycle helmets reduce the risk of head injury by up to 85 percent.
Use a Safe Helmet
The Mayo Clinic states that you should purchase a bicycle helmet that bears the seal of approval from one of the following organizations: the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), American National Standards Institute (ANSI) or the Snell Memorial Foundation. When you're shopping for a safe and effective helmet for yourself or your family, fit your head without much room to spare on the sides or front and back and have a smooth and rounded outer surface with no protruding pieces that could become snagged during a crash. According to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute, your helmet should incorporate expanded polystyrene foam because it performs well during hard impacts, is light, cheap and durable, and allows for easy ventilation. If your helmet has been involved in a crash, its structural integrity has likely been compromised, and you should immediately discard it and purchase a new helmet.
Make Sure Your Helmet Fits Snugly
For optimal protection, your helmet should fit your head snugly. According to the Mayo Clinic, you shouldn't be able to move your bicycle helmet more than 1 inch in any direction, including front to back and side to side. Most bike helmets come with sizing pads that allow you to optimize your fit and make it more secure. A helmet with a ponytail port is appropriate if you have long hair. Your helmet should rest flat on the top of your head and should cover the upper portion of your forehead without tilting forward or backward. If you tighten your chin strap and your helmet still tips forward or backward, consider buying a smaller helmet. A helmet that tilts excessively can leave your parts of your head vulnerable to the force of a crash. The straps of your helmet should form a V under your ears. It's important to secure your chin strap below your chin, not off to the side of your face or along your jaw.
Ensure Your Visibility
Visibility is an important bicycle helmet issue both for riders and motorists. In most cases, the straps of your bicycle helmet will not impede your ability to observe what's going on around you, but if your straps do block your vision, even partially, you should consider purchasing another helmet. If your helmet possess a visor, it should be long enough to partially shade your face and keep rain out of your eyes, but not so long as to impede your peripheral vision. Your helmet's visibility is also important to nearby motorists, fellow cyclists and pedestrians. The type of helmet you use can help or hinder other peoples' ability to see you. Consider wearing a white or brightly colored helmet to improve your visibility on the road. Such helmets stand out and can alert nearby motorists of your presence. You can also mount an LED light on your helmet--preferably one that flashes--or strips of reflective tape to enhance your visibility.
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