For the fourth straight year, the Ironton Health Department, along with the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (Ohio AAP), is hosting a bike rodeo for children to receive a new bicycle helmet, get their bikes inspected and learn safety tips for riding a bike as well as go through a safety course.

“We’ve been doing the bike rodeo since 2012,” Laura Brown, of the Ironton Health Department, said. “Every year we have it, it gets a little better each time.”

The Ohio AAP provides helmets for the children, and also assisting with the event are Dickess Auto Repair and Advance Auto Parts providing bike inspections, and the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office and Ironton Police Department providing safety tips and guidelines to follow for riding a bike.

“The first station, they’ll get their bike inspected. They’ll check tire pressure, handle bars, make sure there’s reflective tape and just make sure that your bike is ready to go,” Brown said. “The second station, they’ll get their head measured and fitted for a helmet. They’ll learn the proper way to wear it and use it. The third station is the safety station. If they get through all of them, they’ll get a pass/fail grade and if you pass you’ll receive a certificate.”

Brown said children ages 4-15 are the age group most likely to get hurt while riding bikes.

“The Ohio AAP wants us to be more active and push the kids to wear helmets,” she said. “We’ll talk to their parents and make sure they understand the safety issues and the dangers of not wearing a helmet.”

If there are leftover helmets from the event, Brown said another bike rodeo event is possible later in the summer, although on their own, not with the Ohio AAP.

The event is from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at the Ironton Farmers Market.