WASHINGTON, D.C. - As more and more cyclists take to the roads, trails, and paths this summer, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is releasing bicycle safety tips.
Each year, there are about 900 bicycle-related deaths in the United States and another half a million bicycle-related injuries treated in hospital emergency rooms. To reduce injuries, CPSC encourages riders of all ages to use helmets. Studies have shown that using bicycle helmets can reduce head injuries by up to 85 percent.
Buy a helmet that bears a label saying it meets the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard Z90.40 1984; the Snell Memorial Foundation standard B 90,B 90S, N 94, or B 95; the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard F 1447 93 or F 1447 94; or the Canadian Standards Association standard CAN/CSA D113.2 M89.
Wear the helmet flat atop your head. Do not wear the helmet tilted back at an angle.
Make sure the helmet fits snugly and does not obstruct your field of vision.
Always wear the helmet with the chin strap firmly buckled. Make sure the chin strap fits securely and that the buckle stays fastened to provide impact protection. No combination of twisting or pulling should remove the helmet from the head or loosen the buckle on the strap.
Do not use a helmet after it has been involved in an accident. Damage to the helmet may not be visible to an untrained eye. Even very small cracks in the helmet may greatly reduce a helmet's effectiveness in preventing injury. Either destroy the helmet and get a new one or have it inspected by the manufacturer. The manufacturer will tell you if the helmet needs to be replaced.
CPSC encourages consumers to access bicycle safety publications through the internet at www.cpsc.gov.
