Volume 5, Issue 2 March 2015

Bicycle and In-Line Skating Safety for the New Millennium

In the

Helmet Habit
I dont quite know why my
daughter, Kate, fell from her bike
last July. Maybe she hit a small
rock or just lost her balance. We
found Kate lying on the ground.
She was bleeding and had several
cuts and bruises on her face and
forehead. We called the
paramedics and she began to lose
consciousness just as they
arrived. At the emergency room,
we found out that Kate had a
broken nose, a missing tooth, and
four other loose teeth.
Fortunately, for all of us, Kate
was wearing a bicycle helmet.
Without even asking, three
different doctors have told us
that the helmet probably saved
Kates life. Bicycle accidents can
happen to anyone!
Karen Brust
Boston, Massachusetts

IN THIS ISSUE:

Bicycle Safety: Lets Make

It a Priority! / 1
Accidents Waiting to
Happen / 1
When Should a Helmet
Be Replaced? / 2
Kids and Traffic: Special
Reasons for Concern / 2

B ICYCLE S AFETY : L ET S M AKE I T A P RIORITY !

Protect your child!
Did you know that each year over 1,200 people die and thousands more
are seriously injured in bicycle accidents? According to the American
Academy of Pediatrics, more than 500,000 emergency room visits
annually in the U.S. are attributed to bicycle accidents.
Surprisingly, most of these accidents, especially those involving
children, occur on quiet residential streets. Most do not involve cars.
And many could be prevented
with proper training and
safety equipment.
Over 500,000 trips a year are
Think about it. Before
made to emergency rooms for
were allowed to drive a car,
bicycle-related injuries.
we have to be a certain age
and go through extensive
training and testing. Yet many
of uschildren in particularride the very same roads on a bicycle
with little or no training at all. Kids are especially vulnerable because of
their undeveloped peripheral vision (about two-thirds that of adults),
poor speed judgment, and lack of a sense of danger.
At Ride Safe, we believe bicycle safety education is crucial to our
well-being and to that of our children.
The bottom line? Bicycle safety is something we all need to make a
priority!

A CCIDENTS W AITING TO H APPEN

The majority of bicycle-car accidents are not really accidents, but
avoidable collisions. Most result from the bicyclists failure to use
proper riding techniques in a hazardous situation. Ironically, when
asked, most children injured in traffic could describe the actual law they
broke.
See ACCIDENTS on page 2

Winners wear helmets!

T HE L IGHT

B ULB T EST

To illustrate the effectiveness of a

bicycle helmet, try the following.
Wrap a light bulb in plastic wrap,
seal the bottom with a rubber band
and place it in a bicycle helmet.
Secure the light bulb with tape and
drop the helmet onto a flat, hard
surface from above your head. The
light bulb will not break. In most
cases, it will even still light. Now,
drop the light bulb without the
protection of the helmet. The light
bulb will produce a sick thud as it
breaks. Helmets can make a
difference.
Caution: This experiment is
meant to be done under close
supervision.
from ACCIDENTS on page 1
Research indicates that 60% of
all U.S. bicycle-car collisions occur
among bicyclists between the ages
of 8 and 12. Children are permitted
to travel with only look both ways
before you cross the street and
make sure you stop at all stop signs
warnings. Obviously, these
warnings are not enough.

W HO S AYS H ELMETS A REN T C OOL ?

Figure 1: Certainly not the children of Silverton, Oregon! One of

the biggest reasons children dont wear bicycle helmets is
because their friends dont wear them. By getting all the children
in your school or neighborhood to order bicycle helmets at the
same time, you can help turn this peer pressure from negative to
positive. Suddenly, wearing a bicycle helmet becomes the cool
thing to do. With your support, your kids can be cool, too!

W HEN S HOULD A H ELMET B E R EPLACED ?

Ride Safe
Editor:
Brandon Keith
Design and Layout:
Cassie Lizbeth
Authors:
Chris Urban
Justine Youssef
Amanda Knicker
Published quarterly by:
Ride Safe, Inc.
P.O. Box 888
Warrenville, IL 60555
800-555-RIDE
Fax: 630-555-9068
Copyright 2015 by:
Ride Safe, Inc.
All rights reserved.

After a crash. Almost all bicycle helmets are designed to

absorb the impact of a crash so that your head is protected.
This damages the foam liner and reduces its ability to protect
in the future. If you are involved in a crash and your helmet
hits the pavement, it should be carefully inspected and/or
replaced.
When it doesnt fit. Bicycle helmets must fit correctly to offer
the intended protection. See your owners manual for
information on how to achieve a correct fit.
After three to five years. The Snell Memorial Foundation
recommends that you replace your helmet after five years.
Due to advances in technology and performance, we suggest
your helmet be evaluated after three years. Normal wear and
tear due to drops and exposure gradually reduces a helmets
strength and protection capabilities.
When it isnt being worn. For whatever reason (not
comfortable, too hot, too heavy, too old, doesnt match the
new hat or coat, etc.), it may be time for a new helmet.
Manufacturers have made dramatic improvements in style,
weight, ventilation and cost over the last few years.
2