Remember the days when kids would bike or walk to school? They’d arrive glistening and energized after their trek in the cool, morning air. More fastidious kids would carefully latch their bikes to the school bike rack, and the boisterous ones would scatter them near the rack and bound into the school building.

We call that time the good ole days, but this time we’re right. Turns out, biking to school was truly good for kids.

Benefits of Bike Riding

Children who ride their bikes to school arrive more focused than their classmates who catch a ride. Endorphins, serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine are neurotransmitters released when a person exercises. These brain chemicals play a critical role in regulating mood and focus.

As a full-body sensory exercise that involves visual stimulation, children learn to pay attention to the task while bike riding, especially because failure to focus could result in a fall.

Riding a bike also helps children learn to multitask since they must read signage, follow a route and listen for traffic.

Biking riding is healthy. Beyond the obvious benefit of physical activity, biking is an environmentally-friendly form of transportation. The more children who bike as opposed to ride, the healthier it is for the environment.

Helmet Safety

While there are many amazing benefits in bike riding, there are also dangers. In particular, biking increases the risk of falling and that means potential knocks to the noggin’.

We sat down with Dr. Rhoda Chang, WakeMed Primary Care Provider, to get her tips on helmet safety and decipher what’s fact and what’s fiction.

FACT OR FICTION? Any bicycle helmet that I purchase should be safe.

FACT. You should only buy a helmet that meets the bicycle helmet safety standards of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Any helmet meeting these standards is labeled. All helmets manufactured or imported for use after March 1999 must comply with a mandatory safety standard issued by the CPSC.

FACT OR FICTION? It’s okay to use a bicycle helmet I bought second-hand.

FICTION. Do not resell, donate or buy a used bike helmet because it may be too old to provide protection or may have been in a crash. In general, a helmet that has been through a serious fall or crash should be retired with gratitude. It has served its purpose and may not provide adequate protection in another crash. If you are uncertain whether the helmet is still usable, throw it away.

FACT OR FICTION? I can use the same helmet for bicycling and skateboarding.

FICTION. Each type of helmet is designed for protection in specific conditions and may not offer enough protection in bike crashes or falls. Bike helmets are very protective in head-first falls at fairly high speeds and are light and well ventilated for comfort and acceptability. A multisport helmet, certified to meet the CPSC standard for bicycle helmets, also is acceptable. It is recommended to confirm the type of helmet you have and not make this assumption.

October 6 is a Wheelie 🚴‍♂️Good Day to Ride Your Bike to School.

October 6, “National Ride Your Bike to School Day” has rolled around again. Considering the many benefits — this crisp, Autumn day presents a chance to capitalize on the nostalgia, strap on a well-fitting helmet and ride your bike to school.

For more tips on safe cycling, visit the NHTSA.