Bicycle safety

We’re committed to helping significantly reduce a common cause of injuries in children – biking accidents. Each year, more than 500,000 people in the U.S. experience bike-related traumas serious enough to require hospital admissions – with more than 300,000 being children.

Fortunately, most of these injuries are preventable. We’ve assembled information and tips to help you protect you and your family while enjoying your biking activities.

Benefits of bike helmets

It’s remarkable how much the simple act of wearing a bike helmet contributes to the health and safety of people who wear them while biking.

When you and your family wear properly fitted helmets, your heads are protected because of the helmet’s functioning as a shock absorber.

Helmets lessen the impact of a fall or collision and reduce the chance or number of severe head injuries such as bruising, stretching, tearing or bleeding of the brain.

Ways to get your child to wear helmets:

• Always insist your child wears one
• Be an example by wearing a helmet yourself
• Reward your child for wearing a helmet
• Point out professional athletes who wear helmets
• Encourage other parents or guardians to get their kids to wear one

Helmet fittings

Advocate Children's Hospital offers free, year-round fitting services and $11 bike and multi-sport helmets for toddlers, kids and adults.

We’ve formed a partnership with Safe Kids, an organization dedicated to eliminating preventable injuries. We accept cash or check and provide these services at two convenient Chicagoland locations:

Park Ridge
Children’s Health Resource Center
Second hospital floor
1675 Dempster St.
708-684-7019
Appointments: Call to schedule
Visit our website

Oak Lawn
Andrew Family Children’s Health Resource Center
Hospital lobby
93rd Street and Kostner Avenue
708-684-7019
Appointments: Call to schedule
Visit our website

View or print our Bike Helmet Program flier in العربیة, English, Español, or Polski.

Picking a helmet

There are two basic rules of thumb for selecting the best bike helmet for you or your child:

The right type: Buy a helmet based on the activity it'll be used for. For example, bicycle helmets are useful only for biking while multi-sport helmets can be worn while using bikes, skateboards, rollerblades or in-line skates. Regardless of the type you choose, all helmets should comply with federal safety standards. Learn more through the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The right fit: Buy a helmet that fits properly. Helmets should be comfortable but snug and sit level on your head. Helmets that sit too far back expose the forehead and those that sit too far forward limit visibility. The chin strap should be loose enough to allow one or two fingers between the strap and the skin yet tight enough to prevent movement when the head is turned side-to-side or back-and-forth.

Getting the proper helmet fit

It's easy to make sure your helmet fits properly with these six simple steps:

• Measure your head size: Size varies among helmets, and a person's head size may not match the age listed on a helmet.
• Adjust your helmet for a snug fit: Proper helmet adjustment depends on how it's made. Some helmets come with an elastic adjustment and some have sizing pads. Others use an inner ring with a dial or ratchet. Follow the owner’s manual to get the most comfortable, secure fit.
• Correctly position your helmet: Your helmet should be level on your head and no more than one or two finger-widths above the eyebrows. You should be able to look up and see the rim of the helmet every time it’s put on.
• Check your straps: Be sure your helmet's straps are flat, not twisted. If the side straps are adjustable, make them form a “V” shape just under your ears. If available, lock the slider into place.
• Buckle your chin strap: You should have a snug fit. No more than one or two fingers should fit between the strap and neck.
• Final check: Your helmet should not rock side-to-side or back-and-forth with a head shake. Straps get loose over time, so double check your helmet's fit before every ride.

When to replace your helmet

Remember: One crash and it's trash.

Any bike helmet that has been in a fall or accident is no longer useful and must be thrown out even if it has no visible damage.

Helmets do have a limited lifespan and should be replaced every few years. Make sure to also keep helmets in a room-temperature or cooler space. Heat can deform a helmet's shell and make it ineffective.

On-road safety

Get important tips on how you and your family can safely ride bikes on the road – from navigating traffic to avoiding crashes.

• Read guidelines by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
• Watch a short video about the rules of the road.
• View or print our On-Road Safety flier in العربیة, English, Español, or Polski.