Bicycling is fun, a great way to exercise, and free! Millions of people, adults and children, enjoy it.

Helmets are absolutely crucial to bicycle safety. More than 75 percent of all biking deaths are caused by head injuries. If all cyclists wore helmets, perhaps half of these deaths and injuries, especially in children, could be avoided. Wearing a helmet reduces (up to 85 percent) the risk of head injury in a crash by up to 85 percent.

Common head injuries caused by biking accidents are skull fractures and brain contusions. Often, head injuries include a neck injury. Other serious bicycle injuries include abdominal injuries and multiple fractures of the legs, cervical vertebrae, ribs, and pelvis.

Follow these tips for injury-free cycling:
* Learn good bike-handling skills. Knowing how to brake correctly will prevent a biker from flipping over the handlebars when stopping suddenly. Ride with traffic, obey all signs, and give right of way to cars.
* Use common sense. Take a bicycle safety course to learn safety skills and the proper use and maintenance of the bicycle. Do not wear headphones--noises can be warning signals for your safety. Do not ride side by side with another cyclist. Storm drains, cattle guards, and railroad tracks can catch front tires and are slippery when wet.
* Wear proper clothing and equipment. Wear brightly colored and reflective clothing at night. Use a front headlight and rear strobe-type light for night biking. Biking gloves and padded handlebars will prevent an overuse injury called handlebar palsy. Be sure to wear an ANSI or Snell approved helmet.
* Learn good technique. Change the angle of your back, neck, and arms often to avoid over-stressing muscles and to put pressure on other nerves. Riding with your hands on the curved part of the handlebars for a long time may cramp the hands, shoulders, and neck.

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