Wheels Safety

Children of all ages are participating more frequently in activities that put them on wheels. Without proper protection, a fall of as little as two feet can result in a skull fracture or other traumatic brain injury.

According to Safe Kids Worldwide, in 2001, 134 children ages 14 and under died and nearly 314,600 were injured in bicycle crashes. Additionally, more than 176,000 children ages 5 to 14 are treated each year in hospital emergency rooms for injuries related to skateboards, scooters and skates.

In 2006, 163 children suffered serious bicycle-related injuries requiring admission to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC. Even more troubling is that fewer Children’s patients admitted with bicycle-related injuries are wearing helmets. Helmet use by these patients decreased from 26 percent in 2000 to 21 percent in 2006.

Wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by almost 90 percent and the risk of brain injury by as much as 88 percent.

It’s not always easy to get kids to wear helmets. So, be a good role model. Safe Kids found that more children wear helmets when they bike with adults who wear helmets themselves (67 percent versus 50 percent). In addition, helmet use was significantly higher when there was adult supervision than when there was none (47 percent versus 37 percent).

The safety tips in this section can help you keep your kids safe when they’re riding on wheels.

Top