5 Critical Bike Safety Tips to Protect Your Family

Do you remember your first bike? For many of us, having a bike brought a sense of freedom to explore and adventure without Mom and Dad hovering. That's one of the many reasons kids have a natural love for bike riding. Bike time is not only fun, but it's also a super way to stay fit while enjoying quality time with Mother Nature.

But without proper bicycle safety precautions, biking can lead to injuries and even deadly accidents. A report by Stanford Children's Health showed that a staggering 200,000 children ages 5 to 14 were treated in hospital emergency rooms for bicycle-related injuries. Of course, not every accident is preventable, but by taking some essential safety measures, you can drastically reduce the chances that a bicycle calamity will affect your family.

Choose the proper bike size

If your child's bike doesn't fit her body size, she's at risk for a cycling accident. Manufacturers have long recommended sizing a bicycle according to wheel size and a child's height, but that's not the only consideration—the bike's frame size and seat height range can vary from brand to brand.

TwoWheelingTots offers great advice for finding the right bike size for your child.

What's the best way to find the right size bike for a child?

Using your child's inseam in relation to the bike's seat height is the best and most accurate way to ensure a perfect bike fit. The frame and the tire size work together to determine the seat height of a bike. So by selecting a bike based on seat height versus tire or frame size, you can ensure a great bike fit for your child even if they've never had a chance to try out the bike before you buy it!

Kids Bike Sizes Guide – A NEW Trick to Finding the BEST Fit

Their video explains precisely how to measure your child's inseam for perfect sizing.

Make sure your kids know that helmets are non-negotiable

Safety gear is essential when it comes to enjoying a safe ride, but the piece of equipment that matters most is a helmet. Sadly, almost 40% of parents of children ages 5 – 14 years old admitted that their child did not always wear a helmet.

Some kids think wearing a helmet isn't cool. Others are...

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