Put a fun spin on safe skating, cycling when school closes

In this article, you’ll find answers to questions like:

1. How do I ensure my child's helmet fits right?
2. How can I help prevent broken bones?
3. What are streetwise tips for the road?

Rollerblading, cycling and skateboarding are great outdoor outlets for kids needing exercise when school and extracurriculars are canceled during a lengthy crisis, such as a pandemic or hurricane.

So here are some tips to keep your children safe, courtesy of Kathy Wall, program director of Safe Kids Palm Beach County, and Brittany Angulo, child life manager and head of the Pediatric Trauma Safety Team at Palm Beach Children’s Hospital.

1. HOW DO I ENSURE MY CHILD'S HELMET FITS RIGHT?

For wheeled sports activities, children should wear a helmet approved by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Click here for the commission’s guidelines on which kinds of helmets to use for different activities.

“Properly fitted helmets can reduce the risk of head injuries by at least 45 percent, yet less than half of children 14 and under usually wear a bike helmet,” Wall says. She suggests families view this safety video to understand what can happen to unprotected brains in an accident.

When fitting a bike helmet, follow the two-finger rule. “You should be able to put only two fingers between your eyebrows and the helmet. Two fingers should form a V where the straps lie under your ears when buckled with no more than two fingers width of space under the chin strap,” Angulo says.

You can find free helmets and local fitting stations via Children's Services Council free SafeMap app. (However, these may be closed during shelter-in-place orders.) Click here to download it on iOS or click here for Android.

Safe Kids offers this helmet fit test and these skateboard/skate tips, as well as these bicycle tips.

2. HOW DO I HELP PREVENT BROKEN BONES?

Fractures of the shoulder, arm, elbow, wrist and hand are the most common serious injuries caused by wheeled sports, Angulo says.

She recommends children wear knee and elbow pads, and wrist guards on skateboards, skates and scooters. Plus, mouthguards help prevent broken teeth. Tell your children to crouch down if they are losing balance, to minimize the impact of a fall.

Wear a properly fitted helmet, of course, and try to ride on smooth, dry surfaces in well-lit areas away from traffic. Stick to sidewalks, bicycle lanes or paths when available.

3. WHAT ARE STREETWISE TIPS FOR THE ROAD?

Check bikes, scooters, skates and boards before each use and repair cracked, loose or broken parts immediately. Wall and Angulo also suggest that families: Ensure wheeled equipment is appropriate and the right size for your child. Ride with traffic, not against it, if riding on the road is necessary. Use lights and reflectors at dusk and night. Make eye contact with drivers; never assume they see you. Use hand signals for turns and stop at stop signs.  Be extra cautious at intersections; look both ways.  Ride together until kids are comfortable alone.  And once school resumes, you can apply these tips to normal life as well. “If your children bike to school, ride along with them from time to time to look for and discuss hazards and potential danger zones,” Angulo says.

SOURCES:

• Kathy Wall, program director, Safe Kids Palm Beach County
• Brittany Angulo, child life manager and head of the Pediatric Trauma Safety Team, Palm Beach Children’s Hospital