Knowing the rules of bicycle safety can prevent your child from suffering a serious injury during this wonderful time of year. Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Consumer Product Safety Commission have a great deal of information on this subject and are worth your time to review their sites.

To reduce the risk of your child being injured the should ALWAYS follow these rules:

• Always wear a helmet.

• Never ride with bare feet or sandals.

• Never ride a dusk or night without proper bicycle lights and reflective clothing.

• Never carry another child on the bicycle, without an appropriate carrier.

• Never assume the driver of the car sees you at an intersection.

• Always obey stop signs and stoplights.

• Be sure the bicycle is the right size for your child. They should be able to stand with both feet on the ground and the top bar should be approximately one inch below their crotch.

• Children often do not have the appropriate skills to ride on the street, without direct adult supervision, till the age of 10. Periodically check to see if your child pays attention to potential obstacles or dangers.