“Wheeled” accidents a leading Cause of Serious Head Injury
The leading cause of serious injury and death to kids on wheels is head injuries. These can occur during wheeled-activities like bicycling, in-line skating, scootering and skateboarding. Even seemingly minor head injuries may result in permanent brain damage.
A helmet could save your child’s life!
Why children are most at-risk
Children are most likely to suffer injuries because they are just learning to ride, go too fast, lack traffic safety skills, ride near traffic, have a tendency to attempt stunts and difficult moves and/or do not use safety gear.
Helmets are Important!
A properly fitted helmet helps protect your child’s brain in a crash or fall. A head injury can permanently change the way a child walks, talks, plays, and thinks. The human skull is just one centimeter thick. A properly fitted and correctly worn helmet can cut the risk of serious head injury by up to 85 per cent. This means four out of five brain injuries could be prevented, if every person on wheels wore a helmet.
Parents should wear bike helmets aswell!
You are your child’s best role model. Everyone should wear a helmet when they ride, as everyone is at risk.
Effective Legislation
Legislation requiring cyclists and other persons on wheels to wear helmets has been shown to be highly effective in having more children and adults wear helmets. If more children wear helmets, there will be fewer injuries.
Importance of wearing the correct helmet
All helmets are not the same! There are different helmets for different activities. Each type is made to protect the head from the impacts common to a particular activity or sport. Look for the CPSC, CSA, ASTM or Snell certification on the helmet or box.
Multi-sport helments
Some helmets are multi-sport. This means that the helmet meets safety standards for more than one activity. Be sure the helmet you buy shows clearly what activity or activities it has been tested for.
Fitting the helmet
It is very important that the helmet properly fits your child. The helmet should rest two finger widths above the eyebrow. The side straps should be snug, with the buckles right under the ears. The chin strap should be tightened until you can only fit one finger between the strap and your child’s chin. Have your child shake his/her head from side to side and from front to back – the helmet should NOT move around. Teach your child to fit his/her own helmet each time he/she rides!
This information is provided by Safe Kids Canada and can be found online at:
http://www.safekidscanada.ca/SKCForParents/section.asp?s=Safety%2BInformation%2Bby%2BTopic&sID=10774&ss=Wheeled%2BActivities&ssID=11341
For further information on preventing head and other injuries:
Think First – Brain injury facts, province-specific legislation info, sport-specific safety tips http://www.thinkfirst.ca/safetyinfo.aspx
Kid Safe Alberta – Several resources on bicycle safety, helmet use, helmet fitting http://www.capitalhealth.ca/YourHealth/Campaigns/KidSAFE/More+Information?id=10&KE_NAME=Bicycle%20Safety&type=4
The Community Against Preventable Injuries – Articles, blog, video clips on injury prevention
http://www.preventable.ca
