North Texas bicycle instructor emphasizes children's bike safety in the summer
NORTH TEXAS - You've probably noticed more kids out riding their bikes around our neighborhoods since summer break began. And unfortunately, that means more accidents.
"They ride all the time," says North Texas mother Dana Caughron. "We're out at night when it gets cooler. They enjoy being out here going back and forth and riding up and down."
According to Cook Children's, bicycling sends more kids to the emergency room than any other sport. Safety experts say these accidents can often be prevented.
Daniela Hudson with Glide 2 Ride makes sure to teach even the youngest of cyclists how to ride a bike while also teaching the best safety practices for the road.
"We all love our children and we also want them to be out instead of on an iPad and tv. We want them to be outside," says Hudson. "We encourage them, 'go ride your bike', but we have to teach them about safety."
The first lesson? Wear a helmet.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, researchers studied data from five different countries and concluded that helmets decrease the risk of head and brain injuries by more than 63% for cyclists of all ages.
Next lesson, "follow the signs on the road just like cars do," says Hudson.
This means stopping at a stop sign or traffic light, and letting pedestrians walk before continuing your ride. Also, ride on the sidewalk when you can. If not, ride in the same direction as traffic and as far to the right as possible.
Avoid using phones or wearing headphones while cycling and be sure to use hand signals.
Typically, the most serious injuries are caused by the collision of a bike and a car.
Never swerve between cars and to help with visibility, place reflectors on clothes and on the bike.
There are also some steps motorists can take to reduce the risk of crashing into a bicyclist.
This includes taking ten seconds to look around before backing out of a driveway, giving bicyclists room on the roads and avoiding distractions such as a phone.
"It's summer," says Hudson. "Pay attention. That text, phone call, it can wait. It's kind of like Halloween, when you're driving, you see tons of kids outside and one might run across the street. We have to be more aware that we have more children out and about."