Parents should look for broken equipment, exposed bolts, sharp edges, unstable railings, overheated surfaces, uneven ground, loose mats, poor lighting, and crowded play areas.

Get medical help, photograph the equipment or surface involved, report the incident to staff or the property manager, and save witness names, medical records, photos, and incident reports.

Responsibility may depend on who owns, manages, maintains, or controls the park or playground. That can include a city, school, private property owner, event organizer, maintenance company, or another party depending on the facts.

Families should document the vehicle, license plate, driver and insurance information, bike or scooter damage, helmet damage, road condition, traffic signs, lighting, visible injuries, witnesses, police report number, school incident report, and medical care. Video from nearby homes, businesses, buses, dash cams, or school cameras may also matter and should be preserved quickly.

Driveways are risky because drivers may be focused on cars in the street and may not notice a teen rider coming from the side. Parked cars, fences, landscaping, speed, and distractions can make visibility worse. Teen riders should slow down near driveways, scan for reversing vehicles, and try to make eye contact with drivers when possible.

When there is no bike lane, the safest option depends on the road, traffic speed, local rules, and the rider's skill. NHTSA encourages riders to travel in the same direction as traffic, obey signs and signals, ride predictably, and plan routes with less traffic and slower speeds when possible. Parents can help teens choose safer routes before the school routine starts.