Bike Safety for the Elementary Students

 

June 6, 2018

Sheriff Deputies Jeremy Echols of Big Sandy and Eric Visocan from Fort Benton were at the FE Miley School to help teach bike safety. And although your children have been taught a few safety tips it's parents that need to make sure our children are safe on their bikes this summer. It was interesting listening to the grade school kids as they repeated numerous safety tips they already knew to receive some small rewards.

The first safety tip mentioned by the kids themselves was wearing bike helmets. Wearing a bike helmet can prevent 70% of all serious injuries. Riding a bike can be one of the major milestones in any childhood. Learning and riding can involve a few falls, scrapes and crying, but as long as they are wearing a helmet you can trust your child will not get anything worse. Some of the kids had helmets, others mentioned they had outgrown their helmets and they didn't fit anymore, and others have never owned a helmet.

Three important safety checks are looking at the bike itself. A good project for parents and children would be so show them how to check air in the tire and how to add air so that the pressure is correct. The recommended pressure is listed on the tire's sidewall. Also check the brakes to make sure they work well before allowing your child to use his/her bike. Look closely at the chain and cranks. They should be lubricated and not too loose fitting. Never wear loose pants as they can get caught up in the chains and cause a serious accident. Have reflector strips on the bike, or lights.

Going for a ride with your kids would be a great idea. Showing them where they should ride, and how to watch out for vehicles who are not paying attention or watching for children on bikes. I've found that a mirror will help your child see a vehicle coming towards them from behind and they can pull off and give them the road.

Here's to wishing everybody has a fun filled biking summer!

 
 

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