Wearing Helmet

Some kids ride through city bicycle lanes like a professional, and others set out alone down quiet country lanes. However, every day, an average of more than 500 children with bike-related injuries are treated in U.S. emergency departments, according to an analysis of injury data from 2006 to 2015. Those wearing helmets were significantly less likely to have head and neck injuries, the study found. And although children tend to wear helmets more consistently than adults, many still ride without one.

Along with calling for safer, more bike-friendly streets, it’s important to choose a helmet that will help protect your child from injury in a fall or a crash. When you’re choosing a helmet, focus primarily on ensuring the correct fit. “A poor fit will impact the protection a helmet can provide,” says Angela Lumba-Brown, an emergency medicine physician at Stanford Health Care.

The best way to find the right size is to take your child into a bike shop and have them try on helmets with a sales associate who’s familiar with the options, says Brad Bowman, product manager at Gregg’s Cycle. If you choose to buy online, Bowman suggests measuring your child’s head with flexible measuring tape about an inch above the eyebrows before choosing a size.

Helmet sizes are measured by head circumference (圆周), and helmets usually come with adjustable dials to accommodate a range of circumferences. For example, a 3-to-5-year-old child might wear a helmet with a 50-to-52-centimeter circumference. Bowman suggests choosing one that fits comfortably but also allows for a bit of growth. Once a sales associate helps you identify the right-sized helmet, adjust the dial until the helmet feels tight but isn’t causing the child discomfort. “After you dial in the fit, if you pull up lightly on top of the helmet, it shouldn’t come off their head,” he says.