Congratulations, we all made it through another Michigan winter! I was driving around on Easter and it was nice to see all the families coming out of winter hibernation and taking walks and bicycle rides with their children. Summer will be here soon and children will be out of school. They will be back in their neighborhoods all day long playing and being kids, which means they will be darting in the road after balls, Frisbees, dogs, each other and for no good reason. Drivers must be aware and SLOW DOWN in residential neighborhoods.

There is always a push to watch out for children during the school year. No doubt that is because there is a higher concentration of children on the sidewalks and crossing streets travelling to and from school. In the summer time, however, drivers must be even more careful in residential neighborhoods because children might be playing anytime during day and early evening.

The Christmas bicycles are just starting to hit the road and some of the youthful bicyclists are just learning how to ride them. They may be concentrating on keeping the bicycle upright and headed straight ahead and may not have thought far enough ahead to deal with corners or braking issues.

Some will be riding on bicycles that may be a little big for them. I am currently having a flashback of my oldest son on his first non-hand-me-down two-wheeler. My wife and I exchanged fearful glances because even though he was wearing a helmet, perhaps we were terrible parents and this bike was too big!

Undaunted by parental apprehension, our future competitive mountain biker roared down the sidewalk, rode to the corner executed a full stop, got off the bike turned it around and came flying back. My wife and I still stayed on opposing ends of the block just in case our speed demon pushed the envelope too far.

Some young bicyclists will have less than desirable control of their new machine, because of blind determination to keep up with older siblings. Their little helmeted heads will not be thinking about cars backing out of driveways or traffic, if older brother, sister or friends cross a road or driveway. All the youngest biker will be concentrating on is keeping up with the big kids. Drivers watch out for these small groups of bicyclists. Parents teach your little ones about cars in driveways, blind corners, crosswalks, pedestrians and traffic.

I was reminded by a friend that even though she rides with her children and their friends, her son had a nasty habit of darting to the left to talk or look at things. So that her energetic young son does not give her any more near heart attacks, she has decided to load all the bicycles in her pickup truck and take the kids to area parks equipped with bike paths. When her son learns how to maintain a straight course, even while talking, she and her young bicycle posse will once again hit the open road in her neighborhood.

Parents: bicycle helmets are a must for young bicyclists. Get them used to helmets at a young age so that it becomes a lifetime habit. Please insist your children wear bicycle helmets when riding. This means parents must set the example if riding with them. Bicycle helmets are not very fashionable, but wearing one may save your child’s life or your own. My advice to reluctant parental helmet wearers is; if you are worried about bicycle helmets messing your hair, perhaps you should ride in the morning while you are still afflicted with “bed-head.” Ride on “bad hair days” and blame the helmet. Whatever you decide, but step up and set a good example -- wear a bike helmet.

When young bicyclists get old enough to ride around the neighborhood on their own, to friends homes, parks and schools, it is time to teach them about locking their bicycles. Keeping your property secure is another life lesson for the young biker, which will hopefully carry over to college and keeping doors locked and not leaving electronic devices like laptop computers unattended. Okay -- perhaps that was a stretch, but “Semper Cop” can hope can’t he?

Lock it up, don’t leave it unattended, be aware and watch out for your neighbors—especially the young ones out playing and bicycling in residential neighborhoods.

Rich Kinsey is a retired Ann Arbor police detective sergeant who now blogs about crime and safety for AnnArbor.com.