Part five of a six-part series on summer safety.

Bike safety can be summed up in one word: helmet!

According to both the American College of Emergency Physicians and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, almost two-thirds of the 300,000 kids treated in hospital emergency rooms in biking accidents had head injuries that could have been prevented by wearing a helmet.

And children learn by example, so Savvy Aunties, at the risk of ruining that cool hairdo, don that helmet before hitting the trails.

Here are some tips on proper helmet fit:

-Safe helmets have a seal of approval by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the American National Standards Institute or Snell Memorial Foundation.
 
-The fit should be snug and not able to move more than one inch in any direction. Most helmets should have sizing pads to help with that.

-The helmet should sit flat and square on your head not tilted forward or backward.

-A properly-fitted helmet should not impede your visibility. If you are unsure, go to a bike shop to get one fitted properly.

Published: July 11, 2010