Cycling as a family is a great way to stay active. For children unable to bicycle themselves, an adult cyclist can carry them in a bicycle trailer or on a bicycle child seat. However, there are risks. Parents can help reduce the risk of injury when using bicycle child seats or trailers by following the tips below:

• Never carry a child less than one year of age in a bicycle trailer or bicycle child seat. Children less than one year of age lack the neck and shoulder muscles needed to support the weight of a bicycle helmet and absorb the movement and bouncing of the bicycle. Talk with your doctor to see if your child is ready to ride safely in a bicycle child seat or trailer.
• Make sure your child is securely strapped into the trailer or bicycle child seat.
• Ensure your child is wearing a properly fitted, Canadian Standards Association (CSA) approved bicycle helmet. Wear a helmet yourself to protect yourself and to set a good example.
• Make sure your bicycle is in good working order. Add a mirror to your handlebars so you can keep track of your child in a rear mounted seat or in a trailer. Check your child often.
• Practice your cycling skills if you haven’t ridden your bicycle in awhile.
• Ride slowly and carefully and follow the rules of the road. Choose parks, trails, or quiet streets rather than busy roads to ride on.
• Be careful getting on and off the bicycle when carrying a child in bicycle child seat.
• Never leave your child unattended in a bicycle trailer or a bicycle child seat. Eleven percent of injuries reported occurred when the child was left alone on the bicycle and the bicycle fell. (CHIRPP Injury Report-Injuries Associated with Child Bicycle Seats, June, 2001)

 
Which is Safer – Bicycle Trailer or Bicycle Seat?

Bicycle Trailers:
Both bicycle trailers and seats are risky. However, Safe Kids Canada and Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation state bicycle trailers are considered safer since bicycle trailers are:

• Stable and not prone to tipping.
• Closer to the ground, so children have less distance to fall if the trailer tips. 

 
However, trailers are less visible to motorists. Attach a bright orange flag on the trailer to increase visibility. Practice riding with an empty trailer to see how it handles, how much room you need to make turns, and how difficult it is to get over curbs. Ensure your trailer cover has adequate ventilation. It can get very hot inside the protective cover, so check your child often to ensure she’s not becoming dehydrated.

Bicycle Child Seats:
There are two types of bicycle child seats, rear mounted and front mounted. There’s little evidence as to which one is safer. Here are some differences to consider:

Rear mounted seats:

• Are less stable because they affect the bicycle’s centre of gravity. This increases the risk of losing control.
• Make the bicycle more difficult to control when the adult cyclist gets on and off.
• Make it difficult to see what your child is doing.

 
Front mounted seats:

• Can affect the steering of the bicycle.
• May not provide adequate space for your body and legs to bicycle safely.
• May make it difficult for small adults to put their arms around the child to reach the handlebars.

 
Regardless of whether you use a rear or front mounted bicycle child seat:

• Be aware that your child’s weight and movement make the bicycle unstable. This increases the risk of falling, particularly if you are inexperienced or aren’t strong enough to control the bicycle with the added weight. Loss of control of the bicycle is the second most commonly reported cause of injury (CHIRRP, 2001).
• Ensure that the bicycle child seat has a high back, a shoulder harness to support a sleeping child, and encloses your child’s legs.
• Test the seat with a bag of potatoes with a weight similar to your child’s before buying, to see which type of seat works best for you.

 
For more information on bicycle trailers and bicycle child seats visit: Safe Kids Canada at: www.safekidscanada.ca.

For more information on How to Bicycle Safely, visit The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario’s website at: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/pubs/cycling-guide/section1.3.shtml.