SAFETY TIPS FOR PLAY

BIKES

· "Use your head, wear a helmet." It is the single most effective safety device available to reduce head injury and death from bicycle crashes.

· Tell your kids to ride on the right side of the road, with traffic, not against it. Stay as far to the right as possible. Use appropriate hand signals and respect traffic signals, stopping at all stop signs and stoplights.

· Teach your kids to make eye contact with drivers. Bikers should make sure drivers are paying attention and are going to stop before they cross the street.

· When riding at dusk, dawn or in the evening, be bright and use lights – and make sure your bike has reflectors as well. It’s also smart to wear clothes and accessories that have retro-reflective materials to improve biker visibility to motorists.

· Actively supervise children until you’re comfortable that they are responsible to ride on their own.

SKATEBOARDS

· Every skater should wear a helmet. Wrist guards, knee pads and elbow pads are a good idea for everyone, but especially for beginners. Mouth guards are good protection against broken teeth.

· Children should ride on smooth, dry surfaces located in a well-lit area away from traffic.

· Teach children to check skates and boards for problems before each use. If there are any cracked, loose or broken parts, the item should not be used until it is repaired.

· Teach children to minimize the impact of a fall by crouching down as they lose balance to reduce the distance to the surface.

PLAYGROUND

· Take your kids to playgrounds with shock-absorbing surfaces such as rubber, synthetic turf, sand, pea gravel, wood chips or mulch. If your child falls, the landing will be more cushioned than on asphalt, concrete, grass or dirt.

· Dress appropriately for the playground. Remove necklaces, purses, scarves or clothing with drawstrings that can get caught on equipment and pose a strangulation hazard. Even helmets can be dangerous on a playground, so save those for bikes.

· Teach children that pushing, shoving or crowding while on the playground can be dangerous.

Source: http://www.usa.safekids.org/