Biking Safety Tips for Kids: Everything You Should Know
For kids, biking is by far one of the best ways to enjoy their free time and connect with friends.

Beyond fun, riding a bicycle is an excellent way to enjoy physical exercise and preserve heart health.

However, this activity also exposes your young one to accident and injury risks. Still, most parents forget to consider biking safety tips for kids when introducing their children to bicycles.

Your safety considerations should cover everything including:

  • Safety pre-biking
  • Precautions during biking
  • Road safety tips
  • PPE for cycling

With all bases covered, you can be sure to reduce the number and severity of biking accidents your kid encounters.


Biking Safety Tips for Kids: How to Prepare for a Safe Ride
Most parents forget to inspect their kids’ bicycles for safety before releasing them for a session. Before they leave it’s important to ensure that the bike is safe and ready for the road.

Check for any issues that could increase accident risks and ensure all the moving parts are intact.

Below are some important things to remember when preparing for a biking session:
●       Put on a well-fitting helmet
Head and brain protection is a primary consideration. When purchasing PPE for cycling, e.g., a helmet, make sure it fits properly, feels comfortable, and guarantees head protection.
●       Adjust the bike to comfortable heights
When adjusting for comfort, check for stuff like seat height. The seat must allow the kid to bend their knee slightly even with a fully stretched leg. Lastly, align the handlebar height to match the seat height.
●     Check the tires
Are the bike tires well inflated? If not, pump them up before leaving for a session. Also, check for any signs of puncture and fix it before allowing your child to leave.
●     Test the brakes
Brakes are your safety net when you need to slow down or stop. Bicycle brakes should be adjusted to reasonable extents–they shouldn’t be too instant or too loose. Instant brakes can cause dangerous falls while loose breaks can extend your stopping time and cause an accident.
●     Be visible
Don the right attire. Whether riding during the day, evening, or at night, it’s important to wear clothing that will make you visible to other road users. Shop for brightly colored attire for your biking sessions. If you have a reflector, the better.
●       Wear PPE for cycling
A helmet alone won’t cut it. For kids, you might also need to acquire other protective equipment like knee, elbow, and knuckle guards. These tools help reduce the severity of injuries in the event of a fall.

Besides these obvious tools, it’s important to consider one of the most underrated biking safety tips for kids–wearing a mouthguard. This tool protects your teeth and mouth from injury.

Most bike-related accidents cause injuries and, in the worst cases, death to the victims. Also, most of these crashes are linked to the cyclist’s habits like failure to don protective gear or riding a bicycle without following standard traffic rules.

Biking Safety Tips for Kids: Safety Rules for Cycling on the Road
Bikes are considered automobiles in many States. This means the cyclist should follow the same regulations, and code of conduct, as other road users.

Because you share the road with other motorists, and these places are high-risk zones, train your kids to stay extra-careful when using busy roads.

Follow these tips when using roads:
1.     Flow with the traffic.
Always flow with the traffic, not against it. When riding a bicycle, use the right (not left) side of the road.  This ensures you flow in the same direction with other cars. It also reduces the likelihood of bumping onto oncoming cars.
2.     Abide by all traffic rules.
Before allowing your kid to hit the road, educate them on traffic rules. This comprehensive lesson should cover everything, including:

  • How to read traffic lights and what they mean
  • Understanding lane markings
  • Training on the various road signs e.g., crosswalks, and what they mean

Remember to teach your young one all the biking safety tips for kids before allowing them to ride on busy highways.
3.     Wait if traffic is busy.
Cutting corners is a costly bike riding mistake because the result can be tragic. Train your child to wait or slow down when entering a major road or traffic lights warn them to stop. Apart from watching out for other cars, train them to care for pedestrians or passersby. It’s a good habit to slow down for passengers whether they are crossing at a crosswalk or not.
4.     Ride your bike in a straight path.
Do not move in and out of traffic as you wish, or meander between cars. Riding in a straight line ensures total safety as other drivers can guess your next move.
5.     Signal others before making any moves.
Don’t take a turn before signaling other drivers about it. Nevertheless, unlike cars, bikes don’t have indicator lights so you must do this manually. Be creative; use one of your hands to point or wave towards the turn you wish to take. Meanwhile, your other arm should remain on the handlebar to maintain control of the bicycle.
6.     Pay attention all the time.
Because most roads are busy it’s important to pay attention all the time. You want to use both your eyes and ears to read the situation. That way, you can notice potential danger and make safer decisions while on the highway.

Do not use your headphones while Cycling as this could compromise your hearing. Also, avoid using your phone white cycling as this could distract you and increase the likelihood of Accidents.

Lastly, be proactive while on the road. Cover all your bases by considering all aspects of traffic such as pedestrians, dangerous potholes, road signs, etc. Focus on what’s happening nearby but don’t forget to look far beyond.
7.     Double-check before turning.
This goes without mentioning but still, it’s important to remind your kids to consider the traffic behind them before taking a turn. Teach them to read the road’s dynamics, and most importantly, slow down and signal others upfront.
8.     Check out for parked vehicles
When riding a bike, cycle far from the curb to evade any stationary cars. Such vehicles can pose threats when a driver opens the door or reverses to drive out of a parking spot.
9.     Control Your Bicycle.
Both arms should remain on the handlebars to maintain total safety and control of the bicycle. Only use one hand when indicating a turn. If you must carry anything else, put them in a bag and place it on your back.

Using both hands reduces the likelihood of accidents because you have full control and can react swiftly to any near hits.
Do not ride in the dark
It is much more difficult to see the dynamics of a busy road at night than during the day. Riding in the dark is more dangerous because of compromised vision. You can easily miss an oncoming passenger because you did not see them. Furthermore, you risk getting hit by other drivers more so if you do not put on reflective clothing.

If you must ride at night, put on a reflector. Also equip your bicycle with reflectors on the rear front, and wheels so other road users can see you.
Regulatory and Safety considerations for Sidewalk Riding
The safest place to ride a bicycle is on the main road, where cyclists are expected to obey the same traffic regulations as vehicles and ride in the same direction. Kids under 10, on the other hand, are not developed enough to make the judgments required to ride safely on the road.

Riding on the sidewalk is preferable for Kids under ten. Before riding on a sidewalk, remember to consider the following biking safety tips for kids:

  • Confirm the law in your state or area to see if sidewalk cycling is permitted.
  • Pay attention to see if vehicles are exiting or turning into driveways.

Also, stop at intersections of sidewalks and roads to check for automobiles and make sure all road users notice you before crossing.
Final Words of Biking Safety Tips for Kids
Because danger lurks every time you go cycling on the road it’s important to train your child to follow all the above safety rules. Young kids under 10 years shouldn’t be left to ride on main streets without supervision. Also, remind them to don PPE for cycling before leaving for a biking session.

You also want to double-check the bicycle’s condition because faults such as loose breaks can increase the likelihood of road accidents.