For those that choose to avoid the parking lot debacle, allowing your kiddos to ride their bike to and from school might be a good solution for your family. Bikes can be very safe, and a good solution for your older kids as long as they follow some simple rules and pay attention to their surroundings. According to Safekids.org there are five easy tips to make sure your kid stays safe as they bike to and from school:
- Wear a properly fitted helmet, it’s the easiest way to avoid injury or death. And it’s the LAW! If you need help securing a helmet for your kid, reach out to https://www.4shayj.com/ This local Coachella Valley foundation helps educate local youth on proper helmet use, and provides helmets to hundreds of kids every year.
- Ride on the sidewalk, when you can. If this is not possible, ride in the same direction of traffic, as far on the right hand side as possible.
- Use hand signals and follow the rules of the road. Here is a really concise PDF to help teach your kids. (https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.dot.gov/files/8009-handsignals.pdf )
- Wear bright colors and use lights and reflective signals, especially at dusk.
- Finally, ride with your children several times. Check up on them, and verify that they are doing things the correct way. Make sure they are wearing their helmet and using their signals. Make the bike riding a privilege, and don’t be afraid to be the parent.
Kids can get to school safely in a variety of ways. Share your stories of school transportation with us via our Facebook page @coachellavalleykids
Photo by: Bridget Miller
