Helmet Safety

You've Got Wheels - Use Helmet Safety

Although no one needs a driver's license to ride nonmotorized toys or motorized scooters, kids need to know that riding anything on wheels is an important responsibility. Even young children need to learn the rules of the road and how to follow them. Parents need to set limits and enforce safety standards to keep kids safe. Use the following guidelines to teach your children how to be helmet smart!

Helmet Safety Poster

For any type of wheeled-ride, tell children they must:

  • Wear a helmet — no exceptions.
  • Tell an adult where they are going.
  • Never ride in the dark. Children are four times more likely to be injured when riding in low light (nighttime, dawn or dusk) than in daylight.
  • Wear sturdy athletic-style shoes with plenty of traction — not sandals or flip-flops.
  • Stop at all intersections and yield to traffic that has the right-of-way.
  • Look left, right and left again before crossing any street.
  • Learn proper hand signals.

Helmet Safety Tips:

  • The helmet should sit levelly and cover your forehead.
  • Buy the smallest size that fits comfortably.
  • The helmet should NOT move around when you shake your head.
  • The helmet is snug, but not tight. Use extra pads (usually provided with the helmet) to fine-tune the fit. When buckled, you should be able to fit only one finger between the strap and your closed jaw.
  • The straps should be adjusted to meet just below your ears.
  • No matter what, you should not be able to pull the helmet off without unbuckling the strap.

Why You Should Wear a Helmet

A helmet can't protect you if it's hanging in your garage — it has to be on your head. And, it has to fit correctly to protect your skull — and what's inside — from injury.

Check your helmet for proper fit by grabbing it with both hands and twisting it side-to-side and front-to-back; the skin on your forehead should move slightly with the movement of the helmet.

You should also make sure your helmet has a label or sticker that says it meets the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) safety standard.

As of March 1999, all bicycle helmets manufactured in, or imported to, the United States must meet the CPSC uniform mandatory safety standard, which ensures the helmet will provide a high degree of head protection.