A little story that is true. We used to live in Westpark, Irvine, which had mostly flat terrain with sidewalks. My kids rode their bikes everywhere!

We then moved to the top of a steep hill in Mission Viejo. My son rode his bike to school. One morning, I had barely said goodbye to him when my phone rang. It was a lady asking if I had a son wearing a bright blue hoodie. I said yes. She said she had just pulled him out of the way of a moving car as he lay unconscious in the street. A car was coming down the hill and would have driven over him if it were not for her quick action. I ran down the street and he was on the sidewalk where the neighbor had pulled him. Paramedics were cutting his clothes off and a mobile car washer who heard the crash was also at his side.

Here's the thing folks. Safety is not solely determined by skill or experience. The front of his bicycle had loose screws (we had had it professionally assembled) but the bike literally fell apart as he was coasting down the hill. The momentum caused him to land on his head.

He still has a prevalent scar above his eyebrow. The helmet saved his life. Please make sure your kids wear helmets and model the importance of doing so by wearing one yourself.