Road Safety Reminders

Wearing helmets and riding safely

Wearing helmets 

Your child must wear a helmet when riding a bike in any public place – it is the law. The helmet must be standards approved, securely fitted and fastened on your child’s head. It should be buckled firmly so it fits without wobbling or slipping to the sides. 

Always remember to check that your child is wearing a helmet whenever they are playing or riding on wheels, including:

• Bikes
• Foot scooters
• Rollerskates
• Skateboards
• Rollerblades.

Riding safely 

Although your child may quickly learn to pedal, steer and brake, they are not ready to cycle near traffic or on the road. Until they are at least 10 years old, your child should ride off-road, away from vehicles and driveways. 

The safest places to ride bikes, scooters and skateboards are within fenced areas. This helps your child from riding or falling onto the footpath or the road. A child aged between 10 and at least 12 should ride away from busy roads. 

Children under 16 and adult riders accompanying and supervising them may ride on the footpath, unless there are signs specifically prohibiting cycling. 

Riders need to take special care at driveways where vehicles may be driving in or out. 

On shared paths, riders are encouraged to leave a metre of space from pedestrians, where possible.

When crossing the road, riders must dismount and wheel the bicycle across the road as a pedestrian.

Key road safety messages to share with your child in Kindergarten to Year 4 

• Always wear a helmet when you ride or skate

• Ride your bike away from the road 

   

Key road safety messages to share with your child in Years 5 and 6

• Always wear a helmet when you ride or skate
• Ride your bike away from busy roads

Children learn safe road user habits from you and will continue them when they are old enough to travel alone.

For more information on keeping children safe in the road environment visit the families section on https://safetytown.com.au