Bicycle Safety:
Follow The Rules of The Road
-Provided By Children's Healthcare of Atlanta

With the warmer weather here, children will be out exercising and enjoying outdoor activities and this is a very good thing! Our nation's children are facing an obesity epidemic and one of the leading causes of this health hazard is inactivity. However, like all activities there are some risks, dangers and safety rules that need to be addressed with your child. With that in mind, here is some great bicycle safety advice from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta:

Bikers Should Follow the Rules of the Road

Supervise your child until he can ride skillfully and obey the rules of the road. Children under age 9 should never ride in the street. Almost all serious bike injuries happen when a child breaks one of these rules of the road:

Rule #1: Stop before riding out into traffic from a driveway, sidewalk, alley or parking lot. Look left, right and left again. When you are absolutely sure there is no traffic, enter the road.
Rule #2: Ride on the far right side of the road with the traffic.
Rule #3: Obey traffic signals and stop signs, as if your bike were a car.
Rule #4: Look back and yield to traffic coming from behind you before turning left at intersections.
Rule #5: Do not ride after dark. Darkness, near-darkness and bad weather cause many bike collisions. If your older child must ride at night, his bike must have a headlight, a flashing taillight and reflectors. Keep reflectors clean and check them regularly to make sure they are securely attached.
Georgia code 40-6-296. (a)

Get the Right Set of Wheels

• Buy a bike that is not too big or complicated for your child.
• Make sure it has a bell or horn.
• Take your child shopping with you. When he is sitting on the seat, the balls of both feet should be on the ground.
• Do not buy a bike for your child to grow into.

For More Great Safety Advice Visit The
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Website By
Clicking Here.

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