Bicycle Safety

Bike riding can be a fun activity for children, but if they don't know how to ride safely it can also be a very dangerous one. In 2002, almost 300,000 children were treated in hospital emergency rooms after bicycle accidents. Often, these accidents are preventable. There were 630 cyclist fatalities in the US in 2009.

You can protect your children by teaching them the following rules:

Always wear a helmet and make sure it's fastened. Helmets can reduce head injuries by up to 85 percent and in many states it's illegal for children not to wear them.

Wear bright clothing. Bright and light colored clothing makes riders more noticeable. If children are allowed to bike ride after dark, make sure they have reflectors on their bike, helmet, and clothing.

Ride in safe places, such as in parks, on bike trails, and on roads with little traffic.

Obey the rules of the road. Bikers must stop at all stop signs and red lights, use hand signals when turning, and ride only on the right hand side of the road, with traffic. To practice using road signs, check out these.

Look both ways before crossing an intersection. Seven out of 10 bike crashes happen at driveways and intersections.

Whenever possible cross the road at crosswalks. That's where drivers expect to see bicyclists and pedestrians crossing intersections.

Remember, always walk bikes across crosswalks.

Give bikes regular tune ups. It's just as important for a bike to be well maintained as a car.

Lock up or keep bikes in a safe place. To help police return a bike if it is stolen and recovered, record the serial number and take a picture of the bicycle for their use. Many local police departments have free bike registration days and other bike registration programs.

Ride with a friend. It's more fun and safer because help is there if needed.

If children know these, they are on their way to safe riding. These tips are great for rollerblading and skateboarding too!

Preventing Thefts from Auto

One of the most common types of theft is theft of valuables from your automobile. Theft from auto is a crime of opportunity that can be prevented if you take away the opportunity. Thieves generally won’t waste their time breaking into autos that don’t have valuables in plain sight.

The best way to prevent theft from your auto is to always keep valuables “outta sight.” Never leave cell phones, laptopos, Cameras, GPS units, shopping bags, briefcases, suitcases, or small electronic devices (personal music devices, digital assistants, etc.) in your car in plain view. Take theses items with you, or secure them.

If your car has a trunk, use it. Put valuables in there or in a locked glove compartment. Hiding items under seats is better than leaving them in plain view, but securing them inside the glove compartment or trunk is a far better deterrent.

During the holiday season especially, or any time you’re shopping, place packages in the trunk, not on the passenger seats or floors.

Look for car radios or other sound systems that can operate only in the vehicle it was originally installed in. This reduces the risk of theft.
If you can unfasten your sound system and take it with you, or lock it in your trunk, do so. And don’t forget to do the same with your CDs and tapes.

Also, keep your car doors and windows locked — all the time!