Consumer Product Safety Commission

Wear Bike Helmets On Bicycles - Not on Playgrounds
CPSC Document #5121

The U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns that children should not wear bike helmets when playing, especially on playground equipment. CPSC has reports of two strangulation deaths to children when their bike helmets became stuck in openings on playground equipment, resulting in hanging. CPSC also has reports of four cases where no injury occurred. In two of these cases the children were climbing trees, and in the other two cases, the children were on playground equipment.

Children should always wear helmets while riding their bikes. But, when a child gets off the bike, take off the helmet. There is a "hidden hazard" of strangulation if a child wears a helmet while playing on playground equipment.

Child wearing helmet on bicycle

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission protects the public from the unreasonable risk of injury or death from 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, you can go to CPSC's forms page and use the first on-line form on that page. Or, you can call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or send the information to info@cpsc.gov. Consumers can obtain this publication and additional publication information from the Publications section of CPSC's web site or by sending your publication request to publications@cpsc.gov. If you would like to receive CPSC's recall notices, subscribing to the email list will send all press releases to you the day they are issued.

This document is in the public domain. It may be reproduced without change in part or whole by an individual or organization without permission. If it is reproduced, however, the Commission would appreciate knowing how it is used. Write the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Office of Information and Public Affairs, Washington, D.C. 20207 or send an e-mail to info@cpsc.gov.

Send the link for this page to a friend! The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission protects the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death from 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC's web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's web site at www.cpsc.gov.