Back to Safety Information

• Ride with traffic. Keep to the right of the road.
• Obey all traffic regulations.
• Use proper hand signals for turning or stopping.
• Stop and look both ways in order to make sure that sidewalks or streets are clear before entering a street.
• Walk your bicycle across busy streets at corners or crosswalks.
• Use proper headlights and a red tail light or reflector when riding at night

NEVER

• Show off. Keep your hands on the handlebars.
• Zigzag, race or stunt ride in traffic.
• Hitch rides on trucks or cars.

TIPS

• ALWAYS wear you bike helmet and make sure your brothers and sisters do, too.
• Make a deal with your best friends to always wear your helmets when you ride together.
• Don’t ride at night.

FACTS

• Wearing a bike helmet is the most important thing you can do to protect your brain and your life when riding a bicycle.
• Children between the ages of 5 and 14 have the highest rate of injury of all bicycle riders.
• More then 500,000 children a year go to the hospital emergency rooms of doctors’ offices due to bike injuries.

Head injuries and falls from bicycles are often times the main reason children visit emergency rooms during the summer months. Palos Park Police hope that by issuing the helmets they can prevent head injuries to children riding bicycles.

All members of the Palos  Park Police Bicycle Patrol Unit wear their bike helmets any time they ride. Helmets can be picked up at the Palos Park Police Department 8999 W. 123rd Street, For more information, contact Chief Joe Miller at 708-671-3770.