Bike To School: Best Tips To Teach Your Kids (PHOTOS)

From Bicycling Magazine:

Do you have fond memories of riding your bike to school as a kid? Chances are, you do--30 years ago, half of all children biked or walked to school regularly. Today, it's just 13 percent. But biking is making a comeback.

First Lady Michelle Obama has advocated biking and walking to school as part of her Let's Move initiative. And schools and communities across the country are achieving impressive results, using both simple and high-tech methods to get kids back in the saddle.

Use the following tips to bring the joy of biking to school to your own children.

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Stock Up on Bike-Safety Essentials

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Your children should have these items on each ride to ensure a safe trip to school. Helmet: A properly fitting bike helmet has been shown to reduce the risk of head injury by up to 85 percent. Bring your kids to your local bike shop with you so they can pick them out—they’ll be more likely to wear them if they helped choose them. Lights: Front and rear lights will make your child more visible to motorists. Teach your kid to store the lights in his or her backpack during the day—they’re easy to yank off, and you’ll want to make sure you won’t have to replace them. Bike Lock: To be sure your child’s bike will still be at the rack at the end of the school day, buy a lock. Read Bicycling’s lock reviews to decide what to buy. Bell: A quick ding of a bell alerts pedestrians that a cyclist is coming their way on a shared-use path.

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Your children should have these items on each ride to ensure a safe trip to school.

Helmet: A properly fitting bike helmet has been shown to reduce the risk of head injury by up to 85 percent. Bring your kids to your local bike shop with you so they can pick them out—they’ll be more likely to wear them if they helped choose them.

Lights: Front and rear lights will make your child more visible to motorists. Teach your kid to store the lights in his or her backpack during the day—they’re easy to yank off, and you’ll want to make sure you won’t have to replace them.

Bike Lock: To be sure your child’s bike will still be at the rack at the end of the school day, buy a lock. Read Bicycling’s lock reviews to decide what to buy.

Bell: A quick ding of a bell alerts pedestrians that a cyclist is coming their way on a shared-use path.

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Comments

[ducksdaughter]

12:03 PM on 08/26/2010

Bicycle Magazine gives some good tips to parents--O­K, some are obvious. But the kids are cute and there are some good reminders.

[Kenz300]

04:53 PM on 08/22/2010

People that support bicycles need to be more vocal.

A letter writing campaign to major retailers like K-mart. Target,
WalMart, Walgreen and others asking that they support bicycle riders by
putting more bike racks up at their stores could be a start.

Business needs to provide a place for employees to park their bikes at work.
School children need bike racks at school and at play grounds.

Bike trails need to be developed. Our sidewalk-l­ess suburbs have made it
difficult for children to bicycle safely. We need to think beyond the automobile­.

[Frank N Blunt]

04:10 AM on 08/22/2010

Don't allow your children to bike. It's too hazardous and the torte law system is run by the insurance industry in ways that put the victims at a great disadvanta­ge. It is appalling how many drivers are allowed to carry the minimum liability insurance and that amount hasn't been changed in decades due to their lobbying of legislator­s. The courts provide more protection for faulty motorists and you won't be able to get a judgement else the law allows them to declare bankruptcy instead of paying for their negligence­. Beside that are you really going to rely on American medicine to help you recover? The same medicine that puts profit over human values? It's a shame to say this but America isn't safe or just so it's best to avoid the streets. Maybe use the sidewalks but then there is a risk of violating an ordinance!

[Kenz300]

06:07 PM on 08/21/2010

With all the childhood obesity --- it is about time for kids to get out of the house
and go outside and play.

Riding a bike is good exercise.

Adults needs to provide safe sidewalks, trails and lanes for bicycles.
Schools, libraries and business need to provide bike racks so the bikes can be locked.

Riding a bike to school, work or play should be an option for everyone, adult or child.

[rotela1967]

01:12 PM on 08/19/2010

grew up in new york, walked or biked to school in the 80's all the time. You didnt want a ride to school, wanted to meet up with friends on the way to school, who the hell wants grown ups around, they are annoying and they're no fun, I know I've become one, lol. The other thing is we really have to make our suburbs safe to walk in, where the hell did the sidewalks go! kids should'nt have to walk on the side of a highway to get to school. we need to start building infrastruc­ture for people who actually have a life in the community, not sit inside their home, play xbox on the biggest tv there credit card can handle and drag race to work 5 days a week.

[KIampfbeobachter]

07:29 PM on 08/18/2010

Requires a culture change of large proportion­s. Here in America the people are proud of having left muscle power behind and exchanged it for an SUV.
I see children being driven 150 feet down the drive way to the school bus stop, in a large SUV.

[sabelmouse]

05:08 AM on 08/19/2010

kids are being driven to school here in ireland. a lot of them could walk, especially the older ones. they are out at night all over the place. not to mention mainly in groups so i don't think it's fear.

[MEL3966]

04:06 PM on 08/18/2010

I suppose it all depends on the route to school... When I was in school, it was doable and I enjoyed it. But, for my kids, they would have to trek down a very busy road that does not have sidewalks - there is a shoulder; but, the road is hilly and cars go fast. So, I am thankful for the school buses that can get them to school safety.. and in many climates (like Upstate NY)- we have a very limited bike riding season...

[Teacher Lady]

03:21 PM on 08/18/2010

It's nothing less than criminal that we have provided big gas guzzling buses to transport children 4 blocks to school when walking or riding their bikes would have been healthier and better for our economy and environmen­t. Sidewalks or well-prote­cted bike paths or roads that are closed at certain hours to automobile­s should be the law in every city and county in this country.

[CrzyRussell]

02:25 PM on 08/18/2010

Too dangerous.­.. more so for girls that's why we pick up and drop off.

[zombie fairy]

02:52 PM on 08/18/2010

What makes the ride dangerous? Actual threats, such as riding through a bad neighborho­od? Or perceived, local evening news threats?

[Tom95134]

02:02 PM on 08/18/2010

The answer is very simple. STOP DRIVING THEM TO SCHOOL!

If you're concerned about them riding to school on their own then get together with other parents in your are and set up some kind of "caravan" so a group rides together. You should only have to do this once since kids will generally group themselves together to ride to school.

The real problems will be dealing with where to put those bikes once the kids start riding them. School districts may find that they need to provide secure bike lockers similar to those found at train stations for commuter bikes. That takes $$$ so parents should be prepared to pony up some cash.

[BannedNBoston]

02:01 PM on 08/18/2010

When I went to school we walked and and it 5 miles there and another 5 miles back uphill in both directions­.

[Tom95134]

02:05 PM on 08/18/2010

Boooo!!

I did walk to school and it was about 2 miles and I walked (eventuall­y rode my bike) year around. Lived in Michigan and not in a major city.

[battlinbob]

11:11 AM on 08/18/2010

Whats with the recent explosion of helmets in the last 15 years?

[Birdman72]

12:07 PM on 08/18/2010

They helmet and knee-pad lobby has gained a lot of strength in the recent years. Due to the new SC decision, expect to see a lot of money funneled to judicial candidates who are "helmet-fr­iendly". If people don't wake up and take notice, you will be probably be wearing a helmet to bed or at the movies or the zoo!

[sabelmouse]

12:28 PM on 08/18/2010

and going down the stairs as that is extremly dangerous.

[sabelmouse]

12:26 PM on 08/18/2010

the dutch don't wear them and they cycle a lot. they say wearing helmets increases the risk of spine injuries. next door in germany we are forced to wear them.

[netzwerg]

12:36 PM on 08/18/2010

Huh? Nobody is forced to wear a helmet on a bicycle in germany.

Motorcycle­s yes, but bicycles no.

[netzwerg]

10:30 AM on 08/18/2010

Here in the Netherland­s 95% of the schoolkids ride their bike to school. The school parking lots look like this: http://www­.hembrow.e­u/cycling/­dscf6743.j­pg

Even in rain and snow.

[janie@atthelake]

02:53 PM on 08/18/2010

Wow!

[Kenz300]

04:57 PM on 08/22/2010

What a GREAT PICTURE.

This needs to be shown to our politician­s.

Email the link to your congressma­n and ask that he support bike friendly policies.

[audadvnc]

09:53 AM on 08/18/2010

In Minneapoli­s kids aren't allowed to ride their bikes to school because of the danger from auto traffic.

[Core-Sample]

10:28 AM on 08/18/2010

Exactly..a global campaign to try and educate motorists is needed first. I feel I may be killed everyday while I'm commuting to work. Motorists get way to close often.

[netzwerg]

10:39 AM on 08/18/2010

Global is not needed, just force every American to watch this video: http://www­.youtube.c­om/watch?v­=qk6YxhKH5­90

[Tom95134]

02:11 PM on 08/18/2010

Motorists are the biggest hazard to anybody on a bicycle or motorcycle­. People in cars are just too wrapped up in their own world and don't see bikers (of either type). I use to commute on a motorcycle and can't tell you how many cars cut me off. I was finally forced to have my bike repainted to the same color as a police bike (all white with white fairing) and I wore clothes and helmet that looked like police. Drivers saw that and would nearly drive off the road to give me some room.