Biking Safety

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Spring is in full bloom and summer is just around the corner. Summer brings the promise of many days spent enjoying outdoor activities with our families.

First 5 would like to encourage you and your family to enjoy the outdoors with healthy fun for the whole family. Coincidently, May is National Bike Month. Biking can be enjoyed by the entire family, from the littlest ones in bike carriers to big brother or sister as well as moms and dads.

San Diego offers many opportunities for biking, whether along the Strand, along Harbor Drive, in Mission Valley Park or your own neighborhood. While having fun, we must always remain safe. First 5 is here with helpful tips and reminders for safe biking for all.

  1. Always wear a helmet, regardless of how short or long the ride is. A properly fitted helmet is a must – be sure to consult with your local bike shop for individual specifics.
  2. Practice road safety with your children before riding in traffic. Rehearse hand signals together as well as obeying traffic signals. According to HealthyChildren.org, practicing proper road safety goes a long way to keeping cyclists and motorists safe.
  3. Sometimes little ones have hard time keeping their shoelaces tied. When riding a bike, it is especially important to ensure shoelaces are tied to prevent them from getting caught in a bike chain and causing a child to crash.
  4. Here in San Diego, we love our sunshine. Just be sure to protect skin against the harmful effects of the sun with a few simple guidelines: always wear a t-shirt to provide broad area coverage against the sun, apply sunscreen to exposed skin, and wear a hat for additional protection.

Encouraging our children to participate in healthy activities while practicing safety helps them to establish life-long, good habits. Here’s to a fun filled, healthy summer for all!