Keep Your Children Safe When around Motorcycles

In many households today, motorcycles are a huge part of the family life, as they have always been. Many of us have great childhood memories of being on the back of a motorcycle with our dads, brothers, etc., for the first time. While this can be a tremendous amount of fun for the kids, there are safety rules that have to be followed, and as parents, you should be aware of the fact that no matter how much you focus on safety, your children could still be seriously injured.

When you have children of your own, especially if you are a mom, you want to grab them and hold them tight forever, to make sure no harm comes their way. In reality, we all know that we can’t do that and that at some point, we have to give in, but it often comes way too soon. If your husband or father is a motorcycle fan, you can expect that your child will eventually be given a ride, no matter how much you want otherwise. Make certain that you don’t allow them to ride with anyone who might be irresponsible, a father or grandfather should be about it, and that you really make certain they focus on safety. It is never a good idea to allow your children to be on a motorcycle on the highway, as the risk of an injury rises significantly, over just being ridden around your backyard, or up and down the drive. If you are going to allow your child to ride a motorcycle, make certain you dress them in long sleeve shirts, and jeans, which will offer some protection from scrapes, should an accident occur, or debris fly at them. Helmets are a must, and they should fit well. You can’t put an adult helmet on your child and think it is okay.

Some fathers will purchase their children their own motorcycles, often at a very early age. These motorcycles are created just for children, so they sit fairly close to the ground, and don’t get much speed, so in case there is an accident, there is a lot less potential for injury to occur. Adult supervision is needed, even on these small, child-sized motorcycles, and you should make certain that they are wearing their safety gear each and every ride! Accidents can happen even with you right there watching, and there is really nothing that you can do about it!

When you purchase your child’s safety gear, make certain it is approved for child use and that it is the right size. The helmet should offer full face protection, so that if your child does wreck his motorcycle, he won’t lose teeth, or injure his chin, which is one of the more common injuries that frequently occur.

If your child does have his own motorcycle, make certain that your child understands that he cannot allow anyone to ride with him on the bike. Number one, they really aren’t designed with that in mind, and number two, accidents are more likely to happen when there is more than rider, as the child will want to show off his motorcycle skills.

Children who ride a motorcycle, whether their own small bike, or on a large bike with an adult, should be taught proper safety, including wearing the right gear. Every time your child gets on the motorcycle; there is a chance that he or she could be injured, so this is extremely important.

At a Glance: Regional News of Note (The Times Press Recorder)

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Family mourns Robert Norton, second son lost in a car accident (The Grand Rapids Press)

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Graham Norton will not clean up his act for Eurovision Song Contest (Daily Telegraph)

Graham Norton whose BBC show this week featured naked men posing on motorcycles with their genitals hidden by cats says he plans to be a lot more risqué when he takes over as the presenter of the Eurovision Song Contest from Sir Terry Wogan.

Obituaries for Jan. 7 (The Gresham Outlook)

Delores Mae Wahlstrom Sept. 22, 1925-Dec. 29, 2008 Delores Mae Wahlstrom, a resident of Boring, died Monday, Dec. 29, at age 83. A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, at her daughter Becky’s home in Gladstone. Delores was born Sept. 22, 1925, in Tacoma, Wash., to ...

Out of Town (The Bulletin)

Concerts Jan. 2 — Zappa Plays Zappa, Hawthorne Theatre, Portland; TW*Jan. 8 — Cherryholmes, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland; TM*Jan. 8 — Neil Diamond, Rose Garden, Portland; RESCHEDULED FROM SEPT. 22; 877-789-7673 or www. rosequarter. com.Jan. 9 — Hells Belles, McDonald Theatre, Eugene; TW*