Bicycle Safety

Protect your head - wear your helmet! The Santa Clara County Fire Department can provide you with bicycle safety information and will help you find the bicycle safety programs offered in your community. For more information, please contact the Public Education Office.

A downloadable/printable information brochure about bicycle safety helmets is available on the Forms page.

A pack of Los Gatos Cub Scouts watch a video on bicycle safety as part of a Shannon station tour.

According to California State Law, anyone under the age of 18 is required to wear a helmet while riding a bike, skateboard, scooter or skates. Any time that you travel fast on wheels you run the risk of becoming involved in a crash. A helmet can help save you from getting hurt, it can even help save your life!

Adult and youth bicycle safety education classes: www.svbcbikes.org

Bicycle Helmet Materials for Teachers and Future Teachers: www.helmets.org/teachers.htm

California bicycle laws: http://www.bikelink.com/law_safety.htm

Consumer's Guide to purchasing a helmet: www.helmets.org/guide.htm

How to properly fit a helmet: www.helmets.org/fit.htm

Parent education and youth bicycle safety education classes by Rich Swent: www.bikeclass.swent.net

Bay Area Bicycle Maps

Santa Clara County Bikeways Map: www.vta.org

Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition: www.svbcbikes.org/maps/

www.511.org or call 511 for bay area bicycling, traffic, transit and rideshare information

Purchasing Bicycle Safety Publications and/or Helmets

"Bicycling Street Smarts, Riding Confidently, Legally and Safety" by John S. Allen: www.bikemaps.com/bss.htm

Reduced price CPSC certified helmets and protective gear for non-profit organizations: www.helmetsrus.net

Additional helpful links

Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute: www.helmets.org

Brain Injury Foundation: www.biausa.org

California Department of Motor Vehicles: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/about/bicycle.htm

California Highway Patrol: www.chp.ca.gov/html/bicycleriding.html

National Bicycle Safety Network (NBSN): www.cdc.gov/ncipc/bike/

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/menuitem.810acaee50c651189ca8e410dba046a0/

SAFE KIDS Coalition: www.safekids.org

State of California Official Website (Office of Traffic Safety): www.ots.ca.gov

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC): www.cpsc.gov