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Bike Rodeo Teaches Safety First
West Ward students learned their heads are like muskmelons -- they'll crack open and their brains may leak out if they're not protected.
Maiden Insurance of McCook sponsored its annual "Bike Rodeos" at McCook school recently, teaching youngsters the importance of wearing helmets when they ride their bikes.
"You only have one brain," School Resource Officer Jerry Calvin said, knocking on his head. "You have to protect it by wearing what? A HELMET!"
Bike expert Bill Stewart of the McCook Toy Box inspected students' bikes before they entered the obstacle course.
The course tested maneuvering in a weaving pattern, slow speed control on a straight and narrow path and circling and changing direction in a figure eight.
Others assisting Maiden and the State Farm Insurance staff with the bike rodeos were the McCook Sertoma Club, Wal-Mart, the McCook Police Department and Phi Beta Lambda.
Nancy Miller, LPN, of the Red Willow County Health Department offered these rules for "Bicycle Safety Month: May":
- Stay in control and alert, and keep both hands on the handlebars.
- Wear a bike helmet. It should rest comfortably on the forehead and should not be able to be moved more than one inch in any direction.
- Know and follow all traffic laws, signs and railroad crossings.
- Use hand signals to stop and turn.
- Keep to the right and ride single file with traffic.
- Check for cars when passing driveways and alleys.
- Use the proper lights and reflectors when riding at night. Wear bright-colored clothing. Young children should not ride at night.
- Ride a bike that is the right size. Oversized bikes are especially dangerous.
- Keep a bike in good condition.
More children age 5-14 go to hospital emergency rooms for bicycle accidents than any other sport. Head injury is the leading cause of death in bicycle crashes, Miller said.
Bike helmets have been shown to reduce head injury by as much as 85 percent and the risk of brain injury by as much as 88 percent, she said.