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- Bicycles remain associated with more childhood injuries than any other consumer product except for the automobile.(1)
- Head injury is the leading cause of death in bicycle crashes. (1)
- In 1996, 213 children ages 14 and under died in bicycle-related crashes. (1)
- In 1997, more than 350,000 children 14 and under were treated in hospital emergency rooms for bicycle-related injuries across the country. (1)
When and Where do Injuries Occur?
- Nearly 60% of all childhood bicycle-related deaths occur on minor roads. The typical bicycle/motor vehicle crash occurs within 1 mile of home.
- The risk of sustaining an injury during non-daylight conditions is nearly four (4) times greater than during the daytime.
Wear Your Helmet!
- Bicycle helmets have been shown to reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85% and risk of brain damage by as much as 88%!
- An estimated 75% of bicycle-related fatalities among children could be prevented by wearing a helmet.
Prevention Tips
- Wear a helmet every time and everywhere you ride. Family members of all ages should wear bike helmets during all bike rides.
- Learn the rules of the road and obey all traffic laws. Remember to "ride on the right" and use hand signals when stopping or turning.
- Child cyclists should be supervised and restricted to sidewalks, paths, and road shoulders until they demonstrate understanding of basic road rules.
This graph shows the number of children killed or injured in bicycle-related crashes in Indiana. (2)
References
1. National SAFE KIDS Campaign. Washington (DC), 1998.
2. Govenor's Concil on Impared and Dangerous Driving: Indiana Crash Facts. Automotive Transportation Center, Institute for Interdiscripinary Engineering Studies: Purdue University, West Lafayette (IN), 1996.
Related Areas
Laws and Policies
[Keywords: bike injury]
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