How Can You Keep Your Child Safe While Biking In Streets?
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NJ Child Injury Lawyers Helping Families
Bicycling is a fun and healthy hobby for both adults and children. Often, starting this activity early is the best way to ensure that a child will maintain healthy physical activity for years to come. However, parents also know that this activity poses serious risks for the safety of children.
Balancing concerns for safety and the interests of children is a challenge for every parent. When it comes to child biking, the best option is to practice safety measures and be aware of the dangers that may be out on the road.
Safety Precautions
Because children are smaller and less experienced than other riders, they are often harder to spot and do not have the ability to prevent or lessen their injuries in many accidents. These safety measures will keep them as safe as possible on the road and may help prevent bicycle accident injuries.
- Get in plenty of practice. All children should be able to ride safely and in a wide variety of road conditions before being allowed to roam.
- Teach them the rules of the road and how to obey traffic.
- Ride with young children so they can have your guidance while getting used to biking.
- Have them always wear a safety tested and properly fitting helmet. This should sit level on the head, always be buckled properly, and not be able to slide around while strapped on.
- Adjust the bicycle to fit the child so that he or she can get on and off with ease, completely turn the handlebars without struggling, and peddle without having to completely stretch his or her legs.
- Do not let children ride at night. They should be as visible as possible.
- Attach a front white light and rear red light to the bike. Additionally, put reflectors on the bicycle, the child’s clothing, and the tires.
- It is recommended by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that a child younger than 10 years old should ride on sidewalks and not the street.
Hazards for Children
Just like adults, child bicyclists face serious dangers on the road. As a parent, be aware of these hazards and make sure your children know them and how to guard themselves.
- Vehicles exiting driveways – Always look both ways before crossing a driveway.
- Cars making turns – Only cross the street when you have the right-of-way and make eye contact with possibly turning drivers.
- Broken sidewalks – Look out for these hazards and either move around them or go slowly.
- Slick roads – Watch out for puddles of water or oil to avoid slipping.
- People exiting their cars may open their doors in front of a bicyclist – Stay far enough from parked vehicles and watch out for exiting occupants.
New Jersey Lawyers Protecting the Rights of Children
At Lependorf & Silverstein, P.C., we have seen the damage that an accident in early life can cause, with serious injuries not only immediately affecting a child, but often persisting well into adulthood. Our team of NJ child injury lawyers work to protect not only the immediate needs of victims, but their futures as well. If your child has been injured in a crash that was the result of someone else’s dangerous actions, get in touch with us at (609) 240-0040 to learn more about your legal rights.
Additional Information
The firm’s principals, Gabriel R. Lependorf and David E. Silverstein, have each been representing injured victims in the State of New Jersey for over thirty years.
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