There’s nothing quite like taking your bike out for a spin when you’re a kid. It’s the ultimate way to get exercise, cruise the neighborhood, and gain a little independence from your parents. Cycling, however, can get dangerous—especially when kids aren’t wearing the proper safety equipment.
A study that was recently published in the journal Accident Analysis & Prevent found that more than 2.2 million kids ages 5-17 were treated in emergency departments for bike injuries from 2006 to 2015. This means that 600 kids per day have bike injuries, or 25 every single hour.
The most common types of injuries in these bicycle accidents were to the upper extremities and mostly included cuts, bruises, fractures, scrapes, but a staggering 11% of these incidents were traumatic brain injuries.
When the study broke down the statistics more, it was revealed that half of the injuries were kids who were 10 to 14 years old and most (75%) of the injured cyclists were boys. The reason for the increase of injuries in this age group is because they were the most likely not to wear helmets.
WHY ARE THESE BIKE INJURIES OCCURRING?
So why are so many children being injured while riding their bikes? It seems like helmet laws, or lack thereof may be to blame. In fact, fewer than half of states have bike helmet laws in place even though helmets are proven to help protect against serious injuries like traumatic brain injuries or fractures.
Without the laws in the book, kids aren’t required to wear helmets, which can pose quite the risk when they get into an accident. Even if there aren’t laws requiring your child to wear a helmet, you should always encourage them to wear them each time they ride. To influence them properly, you should wear a helmet every time you ride a bicycle so that they can learn by example.
In addition to helmets, teach your child to ride in the same direction as traffic if they are riding on the street, stay in the designated bike lane if there is one available, ride as close to the right side of the road as possible, and have a light on the front of your bike and have a reflector on the back that is visible while riding at night. In addition, it’s always recommended to supervise young bicyclists to ensure that they don’t endanger themselves in traffic.
If your child has been in a bicycle accident with a driver who was negligent in Georgia, contact a professional legal team who will help you fight for the compensation you deserve. Call the Fry | Goehring today at 404-969-1284 for more information on setting up a consultation for your potential personal injury case.
