Reply to Why are there no safety rules regarding children on bikes?

Forum Index » Metropolitan DC Local Politics

Reply to "Why are there no safety rules regarding children on bikes?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]If a child is in a car, they have be strapped into a car seat that meets federal safety standards or they have to be seat belted in.

But if that child is on a bike, on the very same road, then no safety rules apply at all? How can this be?[/quote]

Parents need to parent.  [/quote]

Yeah, no one would ever say about that a kid in a car even though a kid in a car is far safer than one on a bike. [/quote]

Actually I have seen threads on this forum where the gist was “I know of a child not in a proper car seat; what should I do?” and the general consensus was “mind your own business.”  So actually yes, most people will say that parents are responsible for their children’s safety.[/quote]

This, and also people on this board probably have no idea how often kids are riding around in cars in this area not in proper car seats. Not in a car seat at all or not in one properly installed or not properly strapped into their seat. It happens all the time.

If seeing a child on a bike without a helmet freaks you out, consider that kids under the age of 4 regularly ride around in cars on the freaking freeways in this area without being properly strapped in. You just can't see it. And the kid in the car is in much, much more danger -- if that car is in an accident, they will die. I'm a big proponent of not only helmets but also teaching any child riding a bike proper safety techniques before giving them too much independence. But if a kid falls off a bike with a helmet, odds are actually pretty good they aren't going to die. And actually, the biggest threat to children on bikes is cars going to too fast, not observing right of way, or engaging in other dangerous behavior.

So sure, pass a law requiring helmets on kids -- I'd support that. But the best way to protect kids remains to protect them from car accidents, whether they are in the car or on a bike or on foot outside of it.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics