Summertime Bike Safety Tips For Families

 

Did you know that energy use in the U.S. is the same today as it was in 2000? This surprising fact has become a reality thanks to energy efficiency measures, such as regularly riding bikes for transportation. And if you and your children love riding bikes around town during the summer instead of driving in your car, it's essential to know how to keep them safe.

The following tips will not only help to keep your children safe from the dangers of fatal accidents but protect you, as well. Here are a few measures to keep in mind when you hop on your bikes this summer.

Teach Proper Safety

Sit down with your children before summer rolls around and teach them about proper safety when riding a bike. For example, let them know how important it is to remain in bike lanes when on roads and to ride against traffic or on sidewalks when traffic is too high.

Learning how to turn properly is essential, too. Teach them the proper hand signals, such as holding their hand to signal right and left turns and stops. You should also teach your kids how to use bicycle mirrors to check behind them before turning into a new lane. Steps like these help to prepare you and your children for summer biking fun.

Always Wear Helmets

It may seem obvious, but you need to make sure that you always wear helmets when you go out for a bike ride with your children. This habit will stick with them as they age and protect them. Not only is this essential for bike safety, but it extends to motorcycle riding, as well. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that around 5,172 died in motorcycle accidents during 2017 and about 5,000 die every other year. By wearing helmets, many of these deaths could be prevented. Even if you think you're skilled on a bike, a helmet can often protect you if a driver fails to yield or doesn't see you in the road.

Get Your Bikes Fitted With Safety Gear

Great safety gear helps drivers see you and your children while you're on the road. For example, various types of reflectors can catch the light of driving cars and ensure that they notice you and your children as you ride on the roads.

When you're on the road, you may want to wear bright colors to enhance your safety. Bright orange is a safe color and very easy to see when struck by light. Try to wear an orange hat or even pairs of orange shirts or coats when you go out to increase your riding safety.

Keep Your Bikes Safe and Serviced

Did you know that a large majority of bicycle accidents occur because they aren't adequately serviced? This can happen easily if you've been storing your bike in a crowded garage. About 25% of people with two-car garages have them so filled up with junk that they can't even fit their cars inside!

To avoid this, you may want to find a storage shed where you can place your bikes when they are not in use and keep them locked up from the wind, rain, and snow. You also need to make sure that you take your bikes to a bike shop when the summer rolls around to fill up the tires, check the mechanical elements, and balance the chains.

Safety is Possible

Trying to keep your children safe during the summer is always a challenge, especially when riding bikes together or near busy roads. But if you follow these tips, you should be able to stay safe. Make sure to sit down and talk with your children about all of these steps and go through them one by one. Doing so will ensure that they are fully prepared and will prevent any accidents or injuries from occurring.