Phoenix Children’s Center for Family Health and Safety teaches children and caregivers how to think about safety and protecting one other. Part of this work includes safety when we’re spending time outside, like the importance of wearing bicycle helmets and following the rules of the road.
We teach children proper helmet usage and important lessons on traffic safety. Kids will learn that traffic incidents injure and kill more children than any other causes. These accidents are nearly all preventable, which makes our jobs even more important.
Cyclists must follow the same traffic laws that cars do. Pedestrians also need to be aware of their communities’ laws and their surroundings.
So, as the weather cools down and Arizonans head back outside, here’s some of our favorite and most important tips we’ve gathered for bicyclists, pedestrians and families to follow and stay safe!
BICYCLISTS:
- Check your bike before you ride:
- Check the seat, handlebars and reflectors are tight
- Ensure tires are filled with the proper amount of air pressure
- Make sure the brakes are in good working condition
- Always wear your helmet and other safety gear
- Make sure your helmet fits correctly and check the straps in the mirror
- Abide by traffic laws and ride in the same direction as other traffic – even on sidewalks!
- Map out and familiarize yourself with the safest route
PEDESTRIANS:
- Always cross the street with an adult if you are under 10 years old
- Always cross at corners using traffic signs, signals and cross walks
- Always STOP and look left, right and left again before walking across the street
- Make sure drivers see you before you cross in front of their car