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age ten.)
2. Cross at a signalized intersection, when possible.
3. Use the crosswalk when crossing near a corner. Watch for turning vehicles.
4. Stop at the curb. Look left, right, left, and over your shoulder for traffic. Continue to look as you cross.
5. Stop to look around parked cars or other objects that block the view of traffic (D). Let oncoming traffic pass, then look again before crossing.

6. Make eye contact with drivers to make sure they see you.

Help your child bike safely
A kid-size bike is right
A big bike "to grow into" is not easy to learn on or to ride safely. A child should be able to sit on the seat with knees straight and feet flat on the ground (E). Also make sure he can straddle the bike with at least one or two inches between the top bar and crotch.

Insist on bike helmet use
A brain injury cannot be cured! Bike helmet use can reduce the risk of head injury by 85 percent when worn correctly. Make it clear to your child that she must wear a helmet on every ride. It also is important to wear a helmet when doing other sports, like in-line skating and skateboarding.

Selecting and fitting a bike helmet

Choose a bike helmet that meets current safety standards. Look for a CPSC1, ASTM2, ANSI3, or Snell4 sticker inside the helmet. By March 1999, every new bike helmet must meet the CPSC standard.Use foam pads inside to fit the helmet snugly so it doesn't move on the head.Fit the helmet so the front is just above the top of the eyebrows. Teach your child to wear it this way (F).Adjust the two side straps so they meet in a "V" right under each ear.Adjust the chin strap snugly under the chin. Make it tight enough so the helmet pulls down when the child opens his mouth.Check often to make sure straps stay snug and the helmet stays level on the head.

Encourage your child to wear his helmet

Let your child help choose the helmet.Explain that a helmet is "just part of the gear," as it is with football, race car driving, or hockey.Praise your child for wearing his helmet.Talk to other parents, so that all neighborhood families encourage the same safety rules.

1Consumer product Safety Commission
2American Society for Testing and Materials
3American National Standards Institute
4Snell Memorial Foundation

For more information, call the NHTSA Auto Safety Hotline: 1-888-DASH-2-DOT or visit the NHTSA website, www.nhtsa.dot.gov.

See Tip Sheet #10 for pedestrian and bicycle safety tips for toddlers and preschool children.dayo

Learn more about this author, Fajolu Oladayo.
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