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MAY IS NATIONAL BICYCLE SAFETY MONTH
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CANANDAIGUA, NY- May is National Bike Safety Month. The League of American Bicyclists has coordinated bicycle awareness activities annually since 1956. Each year, more than 100 children die from bicycle-related injuries, and more than a quarter million are treated in emergency rooms. Of these, nearly half (47%) have traumatic brain injuries.
Properly fitted bicycle helmets could reduce the risk of bicycle-related brain injuries by 88%. It's estimated that only one out of five cyclists, ages 5 to 14 wear a helmet. In New York State, children under age 14 are required by law to wear a helmet at all times while riding a bicycle.
"A bicycle helmet is essential safety gear. Helmets could prevent an estimated 75% of bicycle-related child fatalities," says Patti Knapp, SAFE Kids Finger Lakes Coordinator and Manager of Health and Wellness at Thompson Health. "Helmets could prevent up to 45,000 child head injuries each year."
A helmet should be labeled to indicate that it is certified by a reputable standards and testing organization. Such organizations include ANSI, Snell or ASTM International. SAFE Kids Finger Lakes also reminds parents and caregivers to make sure the helmet fits the child's head snugly, be certain your child can put the helmet on themselves, make sure the bicycle is the right size for the child and ask sales staff at any bicycle shop for help or their expert opinion.
SAFE KIDS Finger Lakes is part of the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, the first and only national nonprofit organization dedicated solely to the prevention of unintentional childhood injury - the number one killer of children ages 14 and under. More than 300 state and local SAFE KIDS coalitions in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico make up the Campaign. For more information on National Bicycle Safety Month or SAFE Kids, visit the national website at www.safekids.org.
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