Helmet Safety
Bicycle helmets are a matter of life and death - wearing one should not be optional for your child. This can't be emphasized enough, and in many states it's the law. A child's head should always be protected while biking. Remember that three out of four bike accidents involve an injury to the head, and a crash could mean permanent brain damage or death for a child who doesn't wear one while riding.

Today's helmets for children are very lightweight and comfortable. Pick bright colors that are clearly visible to everyone driving and riding on the road. For fun, children can even decorate their helmets with cool reflective stickers. Look for a helmet that's well ventilated and fits your child well. Prices for kids' helmets range from about $20 in discount stores to $150 in sporting and bicycle shops.

When buying a helmet, turn it over and look inside for either a "CPSC" or "Snell" sticker. A CPSC sticker means the helmet meets tough Consumer Product Safety Commission standards, which were introduced by the U.S. government in 1999. A "Snell" sticker means the helmet is approved by The Snell Memorial Foundation, a nonprofit organization that tests helmet safety and also sets stringent standards.

Only buy helmets that are approved by either of these two safety standards. If your child's helmet was made before 1999 (look inside the helmet to see what year it was made), it should be replaced with a newer helmet that meets one of these two safety standards.

Make sure your child's helmet has the correct fit and adjustments. Even the best helmet can't help protect your child's head if it doesn't fit correctly, so fit is very important. Any bike store can help adjust the helmet so it fits properly.

A helmet should:

• sit level and firmly but comfortably on your child's head. It shouldn't be tilted forward or backward, and your child shouldn't wear a baseball cap underneath it
• have strong, wide straps that fasten snugly under the chin. No more than a finger's width should be able to fit beneath the strap when it's fastened correctly
• be tight enough (with straps fastened) so that no sudden pulling or twisting can move the helmet around on your child's head
• always be fastened while riding

After taking a serious hit, helmets lose their capacity to absorb shock. They're designed that way - the inner foam structure is altered by a very hard blow. If your child ever has a significant fall and hits any surface hard with the helmet, immediately replace the helmet.

Children can and should also wear their bicycle helmets when in-line skating or using scooters. It should be noted, though, that children should never wear bicycle helmets while playing on a playground, because bike helmets can get caught in small spaces in the equipment, trapping your child's head and leading to choking or strangulation.