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Stay Safe this Summer With These Bike Safety Tips

With the warm summer months in full swing, it’s time to open up the garage and break out one of the healthiest and fun ways to get around town — bicycles.

Whether you’re a kid celebrating your freedom from schoolwork or an adult simply going for a joy ride to enjoy the breeze, riding a bicycle is a great way to get more physical activity during the lazy days of summer. Although bicycle riding is a very enjoyable past time, there are a few safety precautions you and your family will want to take before you start pedaling.

The first set of rules are the basic safety tips we’ve all heard — wear a helmet, check tire pressure, check your brakes, wear brightly colored clothing, watch for road hazards and keep both hands on the handle bars. These are the rules that you were probably taught from the first time you got on a bicycle, but these are the safety rules most overlooked by children who are trying to celebrate their freedom from schoolwork. Many times, even adults feel they are above these rules, but everyone should take precaution when getting on a bicycle to maximize summer fun instead of ruining it with a potential injury.

There are also some safety rules to keep you and your family safe on the road. It is important to always go with the traffic flow, obey all traffic laws, yield to traffic when appropriate, look before turning and stay alert at all times.

If you are cycling with a child under 10, it is important that you bicycle with them on the sidewalk as opposed to the actual street. Make sure that you and your children are entering streets from the corners and not in between parked cars. Be sure to watch for vehicles coming out of driveways and always be polite to the others using the sidewalks.

Those who get on a bicycle should make sure their trip will be a fun and enjoyable one instead of one that could land them in the emergency department. Many accidents resulting in injury are caused by the person in control of the bicycle. It is important that bicyclists maximize their safety in order to maximize their summer fun.

There are numerous opportunities for biking in the west Georgia and east Alabama region, including the Carrollton GreenBelt, the Silver Comet Trail and numerous state parks. Find more trails to ride during your summer travels at http://www.traillink.com/.

Tanner Health System's Get Healthy, Live Well is encouraging biking and other forms of exercise as part of the #SummerOfHealth campaign. For more information about #SummerofHealth, visit www.GetHealthyLiveWell.org or email gethealthy@tanner.org.

Get Healthy, Live Well




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