While riding in their suburban neighborhood, Rebecca Sorenson was horrified to watch her daughter veer out into the road and crash on her bicycle. By sheer luck, no one was driving down the street and her daughter quickly righted herself and avoided any serious consequences. Mrs. Sorenson was relieved that her daughter had on her giro bike helmet, so the worst of her injuries were just a few scrapes and bruises. Because she’d taken the time to research the best safety features for her daughter, they had avoided a potentially tragic scenario.

The most important part of choosing a bike helmet is getting the proper fit. This can be a bit confusing. Bicycle helmets that are not fitted properly are known to increase risks by as much as two times. When you realize that over 90% of helmets are worn improperly, this can be a huge problem. Your child’s helmet should sit level on his head, with only about a few fingers width between the helmet and the child’s eyebrows. The strap is used to hold the helmet firmly on the head and should therefore be adjusted so that it is tight, but not binding on the child’s throat. It should be all the way under your child’s chin. Most bicycle helmets are made in children’s and adult sizes, with several size variations in each designation. Also, you may notice that your helmet giro has a plastic cradle inside. This doesn’t provide any extra protection, but only helps with fit.

When choosing a bicycle helmet for your child, you really need to have an understanding of the benefits and risks. First, it’s true that tumbling head over heels off a bicycle can result in some head injury. However, severe injuries are extremely rare. Riding a bike is really not any more risky than walking down the street. Even if your child rides without a helmet, they will likely never experience anything more than a mild concussion, so don’t panic if she happens to make it out the door without it. Also, your child’s helmet can actually reduce visibility, especially when worn incorrectly, increasing risks of collision, which is much more risky than just falling from a bike. Of course, as parents, your job is to reduce the likelihood of an accident happening, and a properly fitted helmet can provide you with some peace of mind. In the event that your child hits her head, you’ll be glad that you took the time to do your homework.

Many states are working to make wearing a helmet for cycling compulsory, especially for children. However, when it comes to bicycle helmets, there has not really been any independent study done showing the actual ratio of risks to benefits. In fact, most professional cyclists chose to not wear a helmet. They feel that the reduced visibility is a liability and the extra weight can actually throw off their balance too much. Of course, your child isn’t riding competitively and it is often better to be safe than sorry. Do your research, pick proper features such as a helmet bell and make sure that your child’s helmet fits them correctly. By doing so, you and ensure that your young rider receives as much protection as possible.