Vulnerable Road Users > Bicycle Safety
According
to Manitoba Health Sciences – IMPACT Data, every year, about 100 cyclists
are hospitalized in Manitoba and several are killed. Manitoba Health surveillance
data for the years 1990 – 1999 documented eight deaths to children less
than 17 years of age.
Especially for children under 15 years old, IMPACT Data indicate that most bike injuries happen when the child:
- Rides out of a driveway without stopping
- Goes through stop signs or red lights
- Turns or swerves to the left without checking
- Falls off the bike because of poor riding skills or because the bike is not in good condition
In addition to the safer cycling and helmet use lessons provided in the Kindergarten – Grade 10 school-based road safety program, every year, during spring and summer, Manitoba Public Insurance dispatches training teams known as Community Relations Representatives to conduct bike rodeos across various communities in Manitoba.
Through this program cyclists are taught the tenets of safer cycling and helmet use. Basically, studies have shown that when properly worn, an approved helmet can reduce the risk of sustaining a head injury by 85 per cent.
Manitoba Public Insurance’s safety messages emphasize the following points to cyclists:
- Don’t ride in a car’s blind spot. Stay far enough away so the driver can see you.
- Don’t try passing a vehicle on the right-hand side.
- Don’t ride in the right-turn only lane when you want to continue going straight.
- Don’t ride the wrong way down the street. Drivers look only where they expect other traffic.
- Don’t swerve in between parked cars.
- Do stay behind cars making right-hand turns at intersections. If it is safe, shoulder-check and then pass on the left.
- Do ride far enough away from parked cars to avoid being hit by a car door. Look for drivers in the cars.
We encourage parents to take note of the following cycling safety tips for children:
- Ensure your child wears appropriate clothing – shoes and gloves that fit.
- Dress them in light colored clothing when they go riding. Put reflective stickers on helmets and bikes.
- Teach them the rules of the road and ensure that they follow such rules.
- Teach them to keep their eyes and ears open. Do not permit them to wear earphones while riding.
- Write down the serial number of your child’s bike and keep it at home. Teach your children to always lock their bikes when they are not riding it.
- Install racks, never allow them to carry other items when riding.
- Make sure the bike is well-maintained. Regularly check brakes, pedals, chains, bearings and other parts to ensure that that in case of any emergency, the bike can stop quickly.
- Teach your children how to conduct themselves in the event of an emergency. Teach them how to seek help, the facts, witness information and to pass such information to you immediately.
Helmet Use
We encourage parents to:
- Never allow children to ride without helmets.
- Talk to other parents in the neighborhood and educate them about helmet use.
- Make sure the children use approved helmets. Such helmets carry ANSI, SNELL or CSA stickers on them.
- Make sure the helmet is bright and fits the rider. The helmet should fit snugly.
- Make sure the helmet is appropriately worn. The helmet should sit level on the head, covering the forehead with the rim just above the eyebrows.
- Ensure that the helmet is new or almost new. Most helmets last for 5 years but they should be replaced if they get hit hard by any object.
Partners
- IMPACT – Manitoba Health Sciences Center
- Manitoba Cycling Association
- Manitoba Elementary Schools and Community Groups
