Every year, the Bluffton Township Fire District responds to
car/bicycle incidents. When a bicycle and a motor vehicle crash, the bicyclist
almost always gets hurt. Most bicycle injury deaths involve young children.
It is important to know some simple "rules of the road" to help
keep bicycling safe and fun!
Road Safety
Children under age 8 should always be supervised
and not allowed to ride on the street. They should always ride on the sidewalk.
Until riding skills are developed, both feet
should be flat on the ground while sitting on the bicycle seat.
Always walk a bicycle in the crosswalk when
it is safe to cross.
Stop before entering the road or a driveway,
look left, look right and left again for moving cars. Look to the front
and to the rear before entering the intersection.
Always ride with the flow of traffic on the
far right side of the street.
Know and obey all traffic signs and signals.
Bicycles with one seat and one handlebar are
made for one rider. DO NOT ride on handlebars or pegs.
Off Road Safety
Be aware of rocks, sticks, broken glass, and
other hazards when riding on unpaved surfaces.
Always ride with a buddy and tell someone
where you will be riding and when you will return.
Helmet Information
A helmet should be approved by the American
National Standards Institute (ANSI), the American Society for Testing and
Materials (ASTM), The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) or Snell.
Helmets manufactured after March 1999 must
meet new CPSC standards.
How to Wear a Helmet
When purchasing a new helmet, be sure that
it has 2 sets of sizing pads: a thin set and a thick set.
While wearing the helmet without the straps
secured, shake your head from side to side. The helmet should be snug with
very little movement. If there is too much movement, replace the sponge
pads inside with thicker pads. If there is still too much movement, the
helmet is too big.
Front and back straps should meet in a V shape
just below the ear.
All straps should be equally tight when the
chinstrap is buckled.
Chinstrap must be snug, allowing only one
finger between the chin and the chinstrap when the mouth is closed.
Front of the helmet should always cover the
forehead just above the eyebrow and not interfere with vision.
If the helmet is not sized correctly with
the sizing pads, a tight chinstrap will not prevent it from moving to an
incorrect position while riding.
