California law requires that persons under the age of 18 wear an approved helmet when operating or riding as a passenger on a bicycle. It's smart and safe.

• Bicycle helmets are light, cool and comfortable.

• Helmets come in all kinds of colors and styles. There are even stickers you can put on the helmet. With all the choices, there's one in your style.

• A bicycle crash can happen to anyone at anytime no matter how close to home you are. A helmet will help keep your head from injury.

Ride smart. Ride safe. Develop a helmet habit!

Dear Parents: Bicycle helmets save lives, but only if they are worn. Each year more than a thousand people are killed in bike accidents in North America, and up to 50 percent of those deaths could have been prevented if the bike riders had worn helmets.Today's bike helmets are lightweight, comfortable and cool in hot weather. They're available in a wide variety of colors, shapes and styles – so even the most hard-to-please youngsters are assured of finding ones that meet with their approval.

When selecting a helmet for your child at your local sporting goods store or bicycle retailer, find a helmet that fits his or her head comfortably without shifting or falling off. The helmet should sit level and not rock back and forth or side to side. Also make sure that the straps can be adjusted for a level and snug fit. Buy a new helmet that has been tested and meets the uniform safety standard issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC); use an old helmet only if it has a seal from one or more of the voluntary bicycle helmet standards, such as ASTM, Snell, or ANSI. Look for the certification seal labeled on the helmet.

Here are five helpful tips to encourage your child to develop a helmet habit:

• Have your child help pick out the helmet. By being involved in the selection, your child will be more likely to wear the helmet.

• Never allow your child to ride without wearing a helmet. The majority of serious bicycle crashes involving children occur close to home on quiet neighborhood streets. Crashes can happen to anyone, anywhere, regardless of their cycling skills.

• Praise and reward your child every time he or she wears their helmet.

• Begin the helmet habit early. Insist that your child wear a helmet beginning with the very first ride - even when riding as a passenger, either in a child seat or trailer. This way putting on a helmet becomes second nature.

• Always set a good example by wearing your own helmet correclty when you ride. Bicycling is healthy and enjoyable for the entire family. Make it a sport to last a lifetime by developing a helmet habit today.