Safety measures, bike, cycling, children

There's nothing nicer than a family bike ride with the big ones pedalling and the little ones on mum or dad's bike...but before you go tearing off with the kids in tow, think about safety. In 2005, 9% of cycling accidents involved children, and a third of these involved head injuries. 

Make sure you take all the safety measures you need for a safe ride. Children's sight isn't the same as ours and up until the age of 7, children can't tell the difference between seeing someone and being seen. If they see a car, they think the driver must have seen them. They also have reduced vision because of their size, and the smaller they are the less they appreciate danger. And they struggle to tell the difference between stationary and moving vehicles. 

Don't take your kids out on busy roads: go for smaller, quieter roads and gradually get them used to busier ones. If you can, ride on the pavement with them. Remember that children of 7-8 still haven't got perfectly-developed balance. You need to take this into account when you take them out on the road.