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Keeping Kids Safe
Protecting Preteens From Injury
By Gwen Morrison
"If my son was caught without a helmet, he knew he wouldn't have a bike to use for a very long time," says Jane Simpson of Ontario, Canada. "I am adamant about the use of helmets. My older son does not ride a bike any more because he refuses to wear one. My 10-year-old knows the rules; I tell him every time he leaves the house."
When your child is given the freedom to ride the roads on his own, you need to ensure that he is mature enough to handle the risks. Many of the accidents are caused by a child's behavior, things like not following the road signs, swerving into traffic, goofing around and showing off and not following the rules of the road.
Tyree says that over half of cyclist-caused crashes can be prevented by three simple actions:
- Ride to the right, in the same direction as other traffic.
- Look over your shoulder before swerving or turning left.
- Stop and look before riding into crossing traffic.
"Kids need to know that a head injury can happen to them. It can change the way they look, think and feel and impact their lives forever," says Heather Paul, Ph.D., executive director for the National SAFE KIDS Campaign. "We encourage parents to sit down with their children and discuss the long-term consequences and risks associated with not wearing a helmet. Parents can empower their children to wear a helmet on every ride."
It never hurts to go over the safety rules again with your preteen. Better yet, post them somewhere – like on the door to the garage – where he can be consistently reminded.
When your child is involved in any type of physical activity, there is always the chance of injury. Even preteens are often unable to assess the risks involved with a particular activity or sport they are participating in.