HIGHWOOD SCHOOL - Calgary Board of Education

Managing the Risks ...
To help manage risks during summer activities: Look First, Wear the Gear, and Get Trained.
General Summer Safety Tips
Wear the Gear
• Always wear an approved helmet.
• People who choose their own helmets
are more likely to wear them so allow
your children and teens to choose their
own.
• Start the habit early. As soon as your
child gets their first set of wheels, for
example a tricycle or a scooter, ensure
that he wears a helmet.
• As a parent, be an example for others.
• Wear bright, reflective clothing.
Biking
Look First
• Ensure that the bicycle fits. Riders
should be able to touch the ground
with their feet while seated, and the
handle bars should be within easy
reach.
• By law, bicycles must have a working
bell or horn.
• A well-maintained bicycle will improve
your riding pleasure and keep you safe
on the road. Before heading out for a
ride, always do an ABC Quick Check:
> Air: firm tires
> Brakes: clean and working properly
> Chain: tight, well lubricated
Wear the Gear
• Always wear a helmet approved
for cycling that meets current safety
standards.
• Replace your helmet at least every five
years even if it has not been in a crash.
• A helmet that has been in a crash
must be replaced even if it does not
appear to be damaged.
• Wear cycling gloves to improve your
grip on the handlebars and proper,
supportive footwear.
Get Trained
• Take a bicycle safety course with a
trained instructor.
• Obey traffic signs and follow all road
rules.
• Encourage young cyclists to walk their
bicycles across busy intersections.
• Stop, look left, right, and left again
before entering traffic (roads,
driveways, sidewalks, alleys or parking
lots).
• Stay on the right-hand side of the road
and ride in the same direction as
traffic. Find out your community’s rules
about riding on sidewalks.
• Shoulder check every time you move
out to turn or pass and always use your
hand signals.
In-line Skating
Look First
• Skate on a smooth, flat surface that is
free from water, sand, and debris.
• Avoid skating near crowds, traffic, and
animals.
• Do not wear headphones while you are
in-line skating.
• Cross the road at the corner or at a
marked crosswalk.
• Always follow the pedestrian lights
when crossing the road.
• Always pass pedestrians and other
skaters on the left.
• Blow a whistle or call out ‘passing on
your left’ to alert others when you are
approaching.
Wear the Gear
• Wear protective gear every time you
skate. This includes a helmet safety
tested for in-line skating, knee
and elbow pads, and wrist guards.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts.
• Choose good quality skates that fit your
feet properly and provide ankle support.
Get Trained
• Take lessons to learn how to skate,
stop, and fall safely.
• First-time skaters should try skating on
a flat, grassy surface.
Skateboarding
Look First
• Do a safety check of your board before
each ride. Look for loose or broken
parts, sharp edges, a slippery top
surface, and cracks in the wheels.
• Avoid riding near crowds, traffic, and
animals. Never ride in the street.
• Only one person per skateboard.
• Do not wear headphones while you are
skateboarding.
• Do not hitch a ride from a car or
bicycle.
• Tricks require careful practice and a
designated area. Only skateboard
where it is permitted.
Wear the Gear
• Wear protective gear every time you
skate. This includes a helmet, knee
and elbow pads, and wrist guards.
• Current Canadian standards do not
exist for skateboarding helmets.
Consult a reputable skateboarding
shop for information on the most
appropriate helmet.
• Wear closed, slip-resistant shoes.
> SUMMER SAFETY
Fitting a Bicycle Helmet
Before buying a bicycle helmet, measure
around the head at eyebrow level and
find a helmet that is made for that size
of head. Different brands of helmets fit
different shaped heads.
STEP 1: Place the helmet on the head
and make sure it is level from front to
back.
STEP 2: The helmet must sit 1-2 finger
widths (about 3 cm) above the eyebrows.
STEP 3: Make sure the helmet fits snugly.
The helmet should not move when the
cyclist nods or shakes her head.
STEP 4: Adjust the straps to form a “V”
just below and in front of the earlobes.
STEP 5: Do up the chinstrap.
STEP 6: Adjust the chinstrap so that
you can only fit the width of one finger
between the cyclist’s chin and the
chinstrap.
STEP 7: Make sure the helmet can only
be removed by undoing the chin straps.
A bicycle helmet must not be worn with
a baseball cap underneath – a cap could
interfere with the helmet’s effectiveness
on impact.
Bike Trailers
Choose a bike trailer with…
• a rotating hitch,
• a secure harness system,
• metal bars or a ‘roll cage’ around the
carrier,
• non-removable sides,
• reflectors on all sides or one that is
made of reflective material.
Using a trailer safely…
• ensure the trailer is properly secured
to the bicycle,
• ensure you and your child wear a
bicycle helmet,
• before children are ready to travel
in a bicycle trailer, they should be
able to sit upright, have good head
control, and should be over one year
of age,
• secure the harness at all times,
• mount a brightly coloured flag at least
0.9m (3 ft) high at the back of the
trailer,
• only carry the recommended load,
• be aware of the increased length and
width of the bicycle with a trailer,
• practice riding on quiet streets
before heading out onto busy roads or
pathways.
INJURIES ARE NOT ACCIDENTS… THEY ARE PREDICTABLE AND PREVENTABLE!
Revised April 2011
CHP09-1295 (2009/04)