Can my child wear a hockey helmet to ride a bike?
The answer is no. Helmets for hockey and cycling are different and are built to withstand different types of impacts. The hockey helmet is designed for a person to person collision, protection from skates and blows to the head. The bicycle helmet has been developed to protect the rider’s head from cars, pavement, obstacles, and other riders. Hockey and bicycle helmets should never be substituted or interchanged. It is the law in Alberta that everybody under the age of 18 must wear a bicycle helmet whether they are cyclists or passengers. Look for a helmet approved by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). To ensure proper fit, it is best to have your child with you when purchasing a helmet. The helmet should sit firmly and level when placed on your child’s head. A proper fitting helmet should sit snuggly one to two finger breaths above the brow and it should not move when the child shakes his/her head or nods. Sometimes extra pads need to be added or removed to provide a secure fit.
