Bicycles are very popular gifts for children during the holiday season. An important consideration when giving a bicycle is to include an appropriate helmet as part of the gift. Frequently, when children have outgrown their old bike, they have outgrown their helmet as well.
The benchmark for helmet safety is whether the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) standards are met. General guidelines for helmet safety and purchase are provided by the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute. Included on the website are safety ratings for various helmets, recommendations for when to replace helmets, guidelines for fitting helmets, recall information, state helmet laws, and links to manufacturers.