Truman Elementary Bike Safety Assembly on Friday
Truman Elementary Bike Safety Assembly on Friday
Safe Kids Linn County and Unity Point-St. Luke’s Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation have teamed up to provide new bicycle helmets for every student at Truman Elementary School in Cedar Rapids.
On Friday, April 28th, there will be an all-school assembly at 9:00 a.m. where students will learn about bike safety and then watch a melon drop to demonstrate the importance of wearing a bike helmet on every ride. Throughout the day, each student will then get a new bike helmet, which will be properly fitted by safety professionals.
Bicycle helmets can reduce the risk of severe brain injuries by 88 percent. More children ages 5 to 14 are seen in emergency rooms for injuries related to biking than any other sport. Each year, 112 children die from bicycle-related injuries and more than 289,000 non-fatal bicycle injuries occur.
Safe Kids Linn County reminds families to follow these tips when biking:
- Fit the Right Helmet – a bicycle helmet should sit on top of the head in a level position, and should not rock forward, backward, or side to side. The helmet strap must always be buckled, but not too tightly.
- Pick out the Right Bike – ensure proper bike fit by bringing your child along when shopping for a bike. Select one that is the right size for your child, not one he or she will grow into. When children are sitting on the seat of the bicycle, their feet should be able to touch the ground.
- Model and Teach Good Behavior – Tell kids to ride on the sidewalk if possible. If there’s no sidewalk, they should ride on the right side of the road, with traffic, and not against it. Use appropriate hand signals and respect traffic signals, stopping at all stop signs and stoplights. Teach your children to make eye contact with drivers. Bikers should make sure that drivers are paying attention and are going to stop before they cross the street.
- Be Bright, Use Lights – When riding at dusk, dawn or in the evening, be bright and use lights – and make sure that your bike has reflectors on it. Wear clothing and accessories that have retro-reflective materials to improve biker visibility to motorists.
For more information, visit the Linn County Safe Kids Facebook page at www.facebook.com/safekidslinncounty.
