Blue BikersSM Hit the Road
Did you know that 3 out of 4 bicycle crashes result in head injury? Even more astonishing is that hospital emergency rooms across the United States treat more than 5 million people for bicycle-related injuries each year. For these reasons, the North Carolina General Assembly passed a law in 2001 that requires children under age 16 to wear a bicycle helmet. This law is the cornerstone of an educational program from the BCBSNC Foundation called Blue Bikers. Its mission is to educate North Carolina’s youth about bicycle safety.
Blue Bikers is a comprehensive safety program that uses a variety of resources to educate North Carolinians about bicycle safety. Teachers across the state have received the Blue Bikers kit that contains flashing lights for each child’s bike, classroom posters, parent brochures, bicycle safety bookmarks and a quiz on bike safety. There’s also the Blue Bikers Web site to complement the safety tips included in the kit. We reached more than 1,200 kids last year through the Blue Bikers program. Results from pre- and post-tests showed that students increased their overall knowledge of bicycle safety by 33 percent.
The Blue Bikers Safety Quiz
Want to test your family’s bike safety knowledge? Take a moment to share the following questions and answers from the Blue Bikers pre- and post-tests with your kids. Cover up the answers to really test your biking IQ. Good luck, have fun and happy cycling!
1. You should ride your bicycle against the flow of traffic so that you can see if cars are coming.
True or false?
Answer: False. Ride with the flow of traffic — the safe way is the right way.
2. You should pass another cyclist on the _______ side.
A. Right
B. Left
C. Either
Answer: B. Always pass cyclists on the left-hand side, just like cars do. Let your fellow cyclists know that you are about to pass.
3. When riding your bicycle, you should always wear:
A. A helmet
B. Bright clothing
C. Sunglasses
D. All of the above
E. A and B only
Answer: E. A helmet is required by law, and bright clothing makes you visible. Sunglasses are helpful, but they aren’t a necessity.
4. How do you make a right-turn signal?
A. Left arm straight out
B. Left arm out and bent down at the elbow with your palm to the rear
C. Left arm out and bent up at the elbow with your palm facing forward
Answer: C. To signal that you are turning right, extend your left arm and bend it up at the elbow with your palm facing forward. You can also stick your right arm straight out to the right.
5. Cyclists and motorists must obey the same rules of the road.
True or false?
Answer: True. In North Carolina, bicyclists are required to follow the same rules as motorists.
6. It is unsafe to ride my bike if:
A. It is nighttime.
B. I’m not wearing a helmet.
C. I’m riding double with someone who doesn’t have his or her own seat.
D. A and B only
E. All of the above
Answer: E. BCBSNC recommends that you not ride at night because motorists can’t see you very well. It is not only unsafe, but illegal to ride your bike without a helmet (if you’re under 16) and to “double up” with someone on your bike without a seat of his or her own.
7. You are shopping for a helmet and you find one you like. It has a sticker on it that says CPSC. Does it meet the minimum safety requirements?
Yes or No?
Answer: Yes. CPSC stands for the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission. All helmets sold in the United States must meet these minimum safety standards.