Bicycle Helmet Safety
The Do's and Don'ts of Bicycle Helmet Safety
Are You Wearing Yours Correctly?
Right Way:
- Make sure the front is in the front!
- Wear the helmet low on the forehead, just above the eyebrows
- Helmet should not slide or wobble. Use additional pads if necessary
- Straps should form a "Y" directly under the ear
- Keep straps snug, with no more than two fingers fitting in the "slack."
Wrong Way:
- Helmet tilted back
- Straps too loose
Call the Center for Childhood Safety at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital at 253-403-1234 to arrange a helmet-fitting for your current helmet.
Note: Never throw your helmet on the ground, drag it, or use it as a hockey puck. Crashing can make tiny cracks in the helmet, which means it might not be able to protect you next time.
Tips for Parents
- Help kids understand that staying safe is important to them, and to you.
- Teach by example. Always wear your helmet and follow rules of the road when you ride.
- Teach rules of the road the same way you teach driving a car: by riding along and explaining and practicing each rule.
- "Test" a child before giving him or her the responsibility of riding on the street.
- When buying a helmet, try on several for the best fit. Look for an ANSI or SNELL approval sticker.
- Recognize safe riding with lots of praise!