Get your kids the right bike helmet

Of the 700 bike-related deaths each year, almost 75 percent of them are due to head injuries. Nearly all of them could have been avoided if the rider was wearing a helmet.

Posted 1:17 a.m. Feb 9, 2010 — Updated 1:39 a.m. Feb 9, 2010

Duke Medicine

Of the 700 bike-related deaths each year, almost 75 percent of them are due to head injuries. Nearly all of them could have been avoided if the rider was wearing a helmet.

Kimberly Bailey, injury prevention coordinator for Duke University Hospital, offers some tips to ensure that you and your kids are wearing the right helmet.

Here's what's to look for:

Your helmet should be snug, but comfortable.
It should be level on your head - not tilting forward or backward.
It should have a sticker that indicates it's in compliance with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission or the Snell Memorial Foundation. The sticker is usually inside the lining of the helmet.
When adjusting the helmets straps, the helmet should fit one to two inches above the eybrow. The straps should come together in a Y shape under your ear and fit very close to your head. And the chin strap should fit snugly so you can feel a slight resistance on your mouth.

Should a toddler wear a helmet? Find the answer to that question and more information about bike helmet safety at www.dukehealth.org.

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