Bicycle Safety – Helmets and Beyond

There seems to be a false sense of safety that we embrace when on vacation. Vacations spots like the Jersey Shore are happy places where we leave our worries behind. Families let down their hair and often let down their guard.  While homework rules may not apply in the summer and definitely not at the shore, bicycling rules apply all year around at both home and on the lovely sand blown streets of the shore. I am struck by the number of bicyclists I see at the shore not wearing bike helmets.  In the case of a crash or fall, bike helmets are known to reduce head and facial injury by 80%.  Most notable, they reduce injury in the population that falls the most – children. New Jersey’s law states that young people under the age of 17 are required to wear an approved helmet when cycling, roller skating, in-line skating, or skateboarding. The proper position of a helmet is flat on top of the head to ensure coverage of the forehead with a snugly, fastened strap to prevent wiggling. Wearing a bike helmet is a safety feature which should be adopted by bicyclists of all ages, however, it should not give riders a false sense of security and increase risky riding behavior.

Additional safety habits to employ when taking off to explore are to:

• Ensure that the brakes work, tires are filled, the seat is positioned so that your toes just touch the ground when seated, a bell is present, reflectors are secure and headlights and taillights work, if riding at dusk or at night.
• Tie shoelaces and avoid wearing flowing pant legs or skirts which can get caught in a pedal or wheel.
• Always ride with traffic and not against oncoming traffic.
• Act like a car and always obey all traffic rules, ride in single file and use proper hand signals when turning.
• Never wear headphones or use a phone while riding.
• Wear bright or fluorescent colored clothing, which are more visible than white clothing, especially when biking at night.

According to the NJ Bicycle and Pedestrian Resource Center, “While riding a bicycle on a sidewalk is not prohibited by New Jersey statutes, some municipalities have passed ordinances prohibiting bicycle traffic on certain sidewalks. This prohibition is usually posted. It should be noted, that sidewalks are for pedestrians. Riding on sidewalks can cause conflicts with pedestrians and, like wrong way riding, can lead to crashes since it places bicyclists in situations where others do not expect them. Except for very young cyclists under parental supervision, sidewalks are not for bicycling.” Bikers, pedestrians and car drivers play a part in keeping everyone safe on the road.  As more people choose to bike, drivers and pedestrians alike will know to be on the lookout for bikers and to share the road making it safer for everyone. So, tie your shoes, grab your helmets, your bikes, your family and head off for some frozen yogurt.

By Barbara Klock, MD appearing in “The Roasted Beat” publication