Click to hear our ad: BICYCLE HELMET SAFETY  

The US National Highway Safety Traffic Institute reported 700 deaths due to injuries suffered from bicycle accidents in 2007. Two-thirds of the deaths were due to a head injury. When you're on a bicycle, a helmet is the most effective way to prevent a life-threatening head injury. If you fall from your bike, the helmet takes the force of the blow instead of your head.

When choosing and wearing a helmet, keep these safety tips in mind:

• Make sure the helmet is safe. Look for a seal of approval from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), American National Standards Institute (ANSI) or Snell Memorial Foundation.
• Make sure the helmet fits snugly. You shouldn't be able to move the bicycle helmet more than one inch in any direction, front to back or side to side. Wear the helmet flat on the top of your head.
• If you have long hair, consider a helmet with a ponytail port.
• Think about visibility. If the bicycle helmet straps block your vision, select another helmet.
• Choose a white or brightly colored helmet, so that motorists and other cyclists can see you.
• Check your helmet for wear and damage regularly. Replace your helmet every few years or in the event of an accident.
• Children should always remove their helmets before climbing on playground equipment or trees, where a helmet can snag and choke them.

The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute website features a buying guide for bicycle helmets, where you can learn more about this important safety topic.