In most communities, it is illegal to ride a bicycle on the sidewalk. According to Missouri state law, bicycles are vehicles and should be ridden on the street.

Bicycles should travel the same direction as the vehicles. This means you should ride on the right hand side of the street. Bicycles are also required to obey all traffic laws. You must obey stoplights and stop signs and any other traffic laws. Bicyclists are also required to use hand signals to notify motorists of turns or stops.

Helmets

Bicycle helmets can reduce the risk of head injury by up to 85 percent. Most deaths related to bicycle falls and collisions involve head injuries. This means that wearing a helmet can save your life.

Each year, bicycle-related deaths number about 900, and United States hospital emergency rooms treat more than 500,000 people for bicycle-related injuries.

More children, ages 5 to 14, go to United States hospital emergency rooms for injuries associated with bicycles than with any other sport. Many of these injuries involve the head. If you do not wear a bicycle helmet, you are risking your life. Once you have suffered a brain injury, medicine cannot fix the injury. You may have permanent brain damage for the rest of your life.

The helmet should fit comfortably and securely. It should be worn so that it is level on the head (not tilted back on the crown or pulled low over the forehead). You should not be able to move the helmet in any direction, back-to-front or side-to-side. The chin strap should be securely fastened. If needed, the helmet's sizing pads can help improve the fit.

Make sure you have the proper size helmet for your head. Try the sizing pads included in the helmet box. If you still have trouble, ask a knowledgeable salesperson to help you. Properly fitting a bicycle helmet takes time, but it is worth the effort. If your helmet does not fit properly, it will not protect your head if you have a fall or collision.