The following ten tips are guidelines compiled from teachers, safety engineers, and Consumer Product Safety Commission statistics.
- Is it possible for a child to get body parts caught in the handlebars? If they’re a deep U-shape, children may put their heads or legs in the gap and become injured while trying to free themselves.
- Look at the area where the handlebars and steering mechanism connect. Could little fingers get pinched?
- A good trike will have stops that prevent the handle-bars from being turned too far too fast. Without these stops, a trike can easily tip over.
- Notice the axle and pedal nuts. Are they safety-designed so that they can’t nick or scratch riders? Do they protrude too far? Are they rounded and smooth or sharp-edged?
- It’s best to buy trikes without spokes. Tiny kids don’t understand that if someone has their hand in the spokes, you can injure them by pedaling.
- The seat should not extend out over the back axle of the trike. Some part of the frame or the wheelbase should be the first point of contact in the event of a rear-end collision so that the shock is absorbed by the vehicle.
- Fenders are a definite no-no in a preschool or child care environment. Bent fenders lead to cuts and scrapes. Worse yet, damaged fenders are likely to rust and pose a serious infection threat.
- Look out for parts that stick out anywhere on a tricycle (oftentimes, you’ll find a long metal protrusion underneath the seat).
- Seats should be curved at the rear (not bent at a right angle). If a child is suddenly pulled backward over a bent seat, a serious back injury could result.
- Make sure the tricycle is appropriately sized for the rider. A long stable seat allows children of several ages and sizes to ride safely.
