Bike Safety for Children
"Is a bike trailer or a bike seat the safest for my child while cycling around with me?"
Both bike trailers and bicycle seats for young children have their pros and cons. The bike trailer’s advantage is that it is considered more stable than the seat; however, it is wider than the bike and can cause problems in confined, tight spaces. A rear-mounted bicycle seat provides the child with a better view of the road, but it also can cause the bike to be more top-heavy. When a child shifts his or her weight in the seat, it can lead to a tip-over and an Atlanta bicycle accident. Additionally, when a parent gets off the bike, the weight of the child seat can cause the bicycle to topple over.
Children riding in bicycle seats and bicycle trailers need to have adequate neck strength to hold up their heads while riding. Typically, a child cannot ride in a trailer or a bike seat until he or she is at least 12 months old. Although both trailers and seats have five-point harnesses to keep children restrained, neither of them are designed to protect your child fully from injuries in the event of an Atlanta bicycle crash. However, the trailer’s external frame has been known to minimize a child’s chance of serious injury because it can absorb impact.
Although the bicycle trailer is more expensive, the League of American Bicyclists—as well as other experts—believe it is safer for children. Our Atlanta bicycle accident attorneys at Kalka & Baer LLC would like to remind you that the decision between a bicycle trailer and a bike seat depends on the parent’s riding skill and the purpose of travel.
If you and your children are injured in a bicycle crash due to a driver’s negligence, please call our office for a free consultation.
