AAA Insurance Officials Emphasize Bicycle Safety During the Holidays

Dec. 3, 2008 – Because bicycle-related injuries are second only to auto accidents in most common sources of childhood injuries, AAA Insurance officials are reminding parents that choosing the right size bike is critical toward keeping children safe when selecting what often is a very popular holiday gift for them.

“The biggest mistake consumers make when selecting a child’s bicycle is purchasing one too large and thinking the child will grow into it,” said Jennifer Huebner of AAA Traffic Safety Programs. “Oversized bikes are difficult for children to control and safely ride in addition to being uncomfortable.”

Bicycles are given as gifts to countless children during the holidays and for birthdays, and parents often intend them as surprises. But AAA officials advise forgoing the surprise in favor of safety, perhaps giving the gift in advance or after Christmas.

To ensure proper size, AAA says the child be able to sit on the seat and balance the bicycle with both feet firmly touching the ground and without leaning either way. If the bicycle seat is in the lowest position and a child cannot touch both feet to the ground, the bicycle is too large and unsafe.

Whenever possible, AAA officials advise having children sit on bikes prior to purchase to ensure a safe fit. If that isn’t possible for some reason, measuring the child’s inseam to the ground and comparing that to the distance from the ground to the top of the vertical tube in which the bicycle seat post is inserted. The child’s inseam should be at least an inch longer.

After determining a good fit, AAA advises considering the type of brakes versus a child’s age and muscular development. Bicycles have “coaster” brakes , which are engaged by leaning back on one of the pedal, and hand brakes, which must be gripped firmly to engage brakes mounted on either wheel.

AAA says parents should avoid purchasing bikes with hand brakes for younger children who may not have the strength to stop safely. Most children should have sufficient strength for handbrakes at age 10, according to the auto insurer.

Head injuries are leading cause of death in bicycle mishaps, and AA says any bicycle should include a helmet. Wearing a bicycle helmet reduces the risk of head injury by up to 85 percent, according to the National Highways Traffic Safety Administration. And it is required by law in many areas.

It’s best for a child to try on a helmet before purchasing it and ensuring it has ANSI or Snell Foundation sticker on the inside. To ensure proper fit, helmets should rest level and low on the forehead with about two finger-widths of space between the eyebrows and helmet, according to AAA.