Developmental aspects of children's behavior and safety while cycling.
OBJECTIVE
To examine children's competence while cycling, as demonstrated in mistakes in performance and failure to comply with safety rules.


METHODS
Children in three age groups (8, 10, and 12 years) participated in a realistic yet simulated traffic environment.


RESULTS
The boys' cycling speed increased steadily with age, while that of the girls increased from 8 to 10 but decreased at age 12. Most children had adequate motor control by age 10, and the youngest compensated for their less developed skills by cycling slowly and braking early at junctions. Serious mistakes, often related to the children's age and gender, consisted of the children failing to stop at signals or stopping too late, especially at short stopping range.


CONCLUSIONS
There are considerable individual differences in children's cycling competence that are related to biological factors, such as age and gender, and psychological factors, such as rule compliance and choice of cycling speed.
Briem
Valdimar
V
Department of Psychology, University of Lund, Sweden. Valdimar.Briem@psychology.lu.se
Radeborg
Karl
K
Salo
Ilkka
I
Bengtsson
Hans
H
D000293:Adolescent; D001288:Attention; D001642:Bicycling; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012449:Safety