One of the reasons bicycling so often leads to injuries is that parents treat their child’s bicycle as a toy. They’re not toys, they’re vehicles. Ray Hall, cycling and road safety instructor says, “You wouldn’t give your child a mini-bike and say go out and play, and bikes should be treated like a mini-bike because they have the same power as a mini-bike or mini-motorcycle. So if you think of it as a small motorcycle, then it’s more obvious how you should deal with the machines,” and be alert for the possibility of bicycle accidents leading to injuries in children.
Even tricycles have the potential for cycling injuries according to Barb Wentworth, Cycling Coordinator for the City of Toronto. She says parents need to stay with their children when they’re tricycling because children often have difficulty in controlling their first “bicycle” and falls can happen at any time. Even though trikes are low to the ground, there can still be a bicycle head injury or trauma from a fall.
This is important inasmuch as studies show 75% of bicycle-related deaths are due to head injuries. Because of the seriousness of head injuries, it’s very important for parents to insist that their children wear a helmet.
As a personal injury attorney and avid cyclist, I am all too aware of the dangers bicycles can present for our children. So let’s teach them to respect the bike and wear a helmet!
