THE CHILD CYCLIST

This paper provides a review of some of the literature pertaining to a child's capacity to effectively cope with traffic with a view to providing information as to when a child is capable of handling a bicycle competently and at what age they are capable of riding this bicycle in traffic. Learning to ride a bicycle depends upon reaching a development stage where it is possible to balance and coordinate body movements. Skill in handling a bicycle develops over time, so that with practice turning and avoidance of objects is executed with ease. Knowledge is also required regarding traffic rules and maintenance of the bicycle. Children do vary in their abilities to cope with different situations and a child's readiness to ride a bicycle should be decided upon individual merits. However, ability to deal with the perceptual and cognitive elements associated with bicycle riding will not vary greatly in children of the same age. Recommendations regarding child cyclists are provided and have been broken down into three age groups -under 5 years, 5-12 years and over 12 years. (Author/TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0730536041
• Corporate Authors:

  New South Wales Traffic Authority, Australia

  56 Rothschild Avenue, P.O. Box 1620
  Sydney, New South Wales,   Australia 
• Authors:
  • Crossing, H
• Publication Date: 1987-2

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 26 p.
• Serial:
  • Publication of: New South Wales Traffic Authority, Australia
  • Publisher: New South Wales Traffic Authority, Australia
  • ISSN: 0314-9846

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Adolescents; Age; Attitudes; Audible warning devices; Bicycles; Children; Crash rates; Crashes; Cyclists; Decision making; Females; Length; Males; Motor skills; Motor vehicles; Perception; Signals; Speed; Traffic; Traffic regulations; Vision
• ITRD Terms: 1643: Accident; 1612: Accident rate; 1748: Adolescent; 1757: Age; 2267: Attitude (psychol); 585: Aural signal; 1211: Bicycle; 1758: Child; 1742: Cyclist; 2248: Decision process; 6488: Length; 1787: Man; 2229: Perception; 2205: Skill (road user); 5408: Speed; 755: Traffic; 1544: Traffic regulations; 1255: Vehicle; 2066: Vision; 1788: Woman
• Subject Areas: Highways; Law; Operations and Traffic Management; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00499036
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• ISBN: 0-7305-3604-1
• Report/Paper Numbers: CR 1/87
• Files: ITRD, TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Sep 30 1990 12:00AM