Road safety advice for cyclists

Around 2,500 cyclists are killed or seriously injured each year in Great Britain and about one fifth of these are children.

Before setting out on your bike it's important to make sure you'll be safe when cycling.

Helmets

Head injuries, ranging from fatal skull fractures and brain damage to minor concussion and cuts, are very common injuries to cyclists.

You should make sure that any helmet you buy has a "CE" mark and meets one of the following standards:

  • BS EN 1078:1997
  • BS 6863:1989
  • SNELL B.95

Helmets that also have a British Standard Kitemark are even better.

Make sure you wear the helmet correctly:

  • Boy wearing a cycle helmet correctlyit should be level, and sit just above the eyebrows - it should not tilt backwards or forwards, the forehead should not be exposed and your vision should not be restricted
  • it should fit closely to your head and feel comfortable – when you shake or nod your head, your helmet should stay in place
  • it should have an inner layer of polystyrene and either a hard plastic shell or a mesh cover
  • the helmet and straps should not cover your ears – the straps should go around the ears, forming a "V" shape under the ear lobe, and there should be no slack in the straps
  • most helmets come with adjustment pads and instructions for fitting the helmet and adjusting the straps – make sure that you read these carefully to ensure that the helmet is fitted correctly.

Bike checks

Check your bike over to ensure that it is set up properly and in good working order.

We run hands on maintenance sessions, which can be run as standalone sessions or prior to a cycle course at primary and secondary schools and young people's groups, such as scouts. For more information email cyclesafety@viaem.co.uk.

Wear the right gear

It is important to wear the right clothing for cycling to ensure you can be seen in all weathers, day and night.

The THINK! cycling website provides advice on what clothing you should wear to be seen and stay safe on the roads.

Teaching a child to ride a bike

We run child cycle training courses through schools across the county for children aged nine and over.

If you would like to teach your child to ride a bike, The National Cycling Charity website has a video and step-by-step instructions to follow.

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