With school out and children having more free time, many of them undoubtedly will be hopping aboard their bicycles this summer.

And, unfortunately, that means emergency rooms will be a little busier.

The American College of Emergency Physicians says about 500,000 people visit emergency departments each year because of bicycle-related accidents. Bike mishaps are the No. 1 cause for hospital visits for children ages 5 to 14.

The organization says proper use of bicycle helmets would prevent 135 to 155 deaths a year. In addition, it would prevent 39,000 to 45,000 head injuries and 18,000 to 55,000 scalp and facial injuries.

The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute, a consumer group dedicated to bike safety, gives these suggestions for making sure helmets fit:

¢ The helmet should touch the head all the way around and be level and stable enough to resist violent shakes or hard blows.

¢ Riders often need to remove thick pads from the helmet to lower it on their head, to maximize coverage.

¢ When you look upward, the front rim should be barely visible to your eyes.

¢ The Y of the side straps should meet just below your ear.

¢ The chin strap should be snug against your chin so when you open your mouth wide you feel the helmet pull down a little.

For more information, visit www.helmets.org.