I can honestly say, I have been biking without a helmet because I was on a "casual ride", not a training ride at a higher speed. But this year, a close friend of mine was in a serious bike accident. She was alone, in a very low traffic area, knocked out. When she woke up, she was disoriented, but able to call for help. The end result, she suffered a concussion, plus other injuries. Luckily, she wore her helmet as the ER doctor told her it possibly saved her life.
With a little research, I have compiled a helmet guideline. It is worth the time, money and effort.
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Safety Information
Look for the Consumer Product Safety Committee (CPSC) sticker inside the helmet. This label or sticker ensures that the helmet will provide a high level of protection in the event of an impact. Helmets manufactured after March 1999 are required by law to meet the CPSC standard. The "ASTM," "ANSI," and "Snell" labels also meet the CPSC standards. (These were voluntary safety standards in place prior to 1999.)Used Helmets
If considering a used or hand-me-down helmet, never purchase or use a helmet that is cracked, broken, or has been in a crash. Keep in mind that used or older helmets might have cracks you cannot see and might not meet current safety standards if manufactured before 1999.How can I tell if my bicycle helmet fits properly?
When the chin strap is buckled, a bicycle helmet should have a snug but comfortable fit. You should not be able to move the helmet from side-to-side or up and down. The helmet should sit level on the head (NOT TILTED BACK) and rest low on the forehead. The bottom edge of the helmet should be one to two finger widths above the eyebrow. Another technique to check proper positioning is this: your eyes should be able to see the very edge of the helmet when looking upward.The straps of the helmet need to be even and should form a "Y" that comes together right at the bottom of the earlobe. The straps should be snug against the head. The buckled chin strap should leave only enough room to allow one finger to be inserted between the buckle and chin. When opening your mouth, you should be able to feel the helmet pull down on your head.
What can I do if I have trouble fitting the bicycle helmet?
Bicycle helmets are available in several different sizes and with different thicknesses of internal padding to custom fit the helmet to the user. To get a snug fit, internal pads should be placed in areas where there is space between the head and the helmet along the front, back, and/or sides of the helmet. The pads should be positioned evenly around the inside of the helmet. If the helmet does not feel snug after adjusting the pads and when the straps are correctly buckled, try adjusting the pads again or try another helmet.Lead by example for your kids
- To encourage your child to wear a helmet, start the helmet-wearing habit early. All bike riders — including those riding a tricycle — should wear bicycle helmet.
- As long as the helmet fits properly, let your child pick out his or her helmet. They’ll be more apt to wear a helmet if they have selected it.
- Adults should set an example and wear a helmet themselves when biking.
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