Take helm of your safety

  • Published
  • By 86th Airlift Wing Safety Office
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  Imagine you are 12 years old again.  You were just a child with not many freedoms, until that moment you hopped on your bicycle or skateboard and flew down the street feeling the wind on your face as your parent shouted "Don't get hit by a car!"

Did you ever consider those giant metal "death" machines passing you on your adventures?  Of course not, that's what your adult supervision was for. 

Now you are the adult supervision, and it is our responsibility to make sure loved ones are safe when riding. 

One of the easiest steps you can take to protect yourself and your children is to always provide a helmet when riding.  You know this because you have this adult thing covered and know that everyone (yes, both you and your dependents) is required to wear a properly fastened, approved helmet on U.S. military installations, in accordance with Air Force Instruction 91-207 The U.S. Air Force Traffic Safety Program and Army in Europe 190-1 Driver and Vehicle Requirements and the Installation Traffic Code for the U.S. Forces in Germany.  Wearing a helmet will not prevent someone from getting hit by a car but can greatly reduce the severity of head injuries if they were to have an accident.

There are so many options when selecting a helmet, but a few guidelines can assist you in selecting the right one. First, you want to make sure it meets safety standards.  There will be a sticker on the inside that says CPSC, ASTM F1447, Snell B-95, the Institut für Zweiradsicherheit e.V., or the Economic Commission of Europe.  Once you find an approved safety helmet, you need to make sure it fits properly.  It should fit level on your head, touching all the way around, comfortably snug but not tight.  When the straps are adjusted and fastened, the helmet should not move more than an inch in any direction and must not pull off no matter how hard you try.  Skaters, skateboarders and kick-scooter riders also need to have properly fitted kneepads, elbow pads and wrist guards to further reduce the severity of injury.  

In addition to the proper protective gear, there are a few other requirements to employ. AFI 91-207 and AER 190-1 apply to military members and dependents on U.S. military installations in Germany but are equally effective while riding off the installation.  Guidance in these directions include ensuring drivers can see you by wearing highly visible clothing during the day and reflective items when dark or during low visibility.  Also, ensure your bicycles are equipped with a white light visible for 500 feet and a red light visible from the rear for 300 feet.  Don't forget to add a couple reflectors to your spokes (180 degrees apart) and pedals (front and rear) to further increase visibility. 

Other tools that will reduce the likelihood of a collision include general traffic and pedestrian safety tips.  Skaters, skateboarders and kick-scooter riders have similar requirements to bike riders except they will stick to the right side of sidewalks, trails and paths. 

The use of portable headphones, cell phones or other listening devices is prohibited while riding.  Always stop to check for vehicles before entering the roadway, including at crosswalks.  This is especially important where the cars are parked on the street since it reduces both the rider's and the driver's visibility.  When riding bicycles on the roadway, ride single-file in the same direction as traffic and follow the same rules as the vehicles; stop at stop signs or red lights, and use your blinkers (hand signals) when turning.  Ride only on a seat attached to the bike and only carry passengers in authorized attached seats.  

When you talk to your kids about riding their bikes, skateboards or scooters, make sure you give them the right tools to reduce their risk and prevent injury.  So the next time you shout "Don't get hit by a car," you know they will put on their helmet and ride safely until the street lights come on and they return home.