Protect Your Head & Health
Biking, skateboarding, rollerblading and using a scooter are
great ways to stay active and have fun – but it is important to bike and roll
safely! Wearing a helmet is an effective way to protect one of our main organs,
the brain. Childhood brain injuries can be especially harmful. Because the
brain is still growing, sustaining a head injury like a concussion can make it
harder for kids to focus and be able to do well in school – and may lead to
serious life-long health issues. Research from Columbus-based Nationwide
Children’s Hospital suggests most bicycle-related injuries, and even deaths,
can be avoided by wearing a helmet.
Helmets Save Lives
…but they have to be on kids’ heads in
order to help. In response to this research, the City of Columbus passed the Children’s Bicycle Helmet Requirement in 2008, which means it’s actually the law that all kids under age 18 must wear a helmet while riding. Yet, the most recent tally found only about 2 out of every 10 Franklin County children actually do.
When asked, children have many different reasons for not
wearing a helmet – from the uncomfortable way it fits to simply just forgetting
to put one on. However, one of the most common reasons that a child does not
wear a helmet is because they do not have one to wear. Below are a few
resources for parents, guardians, teachers and neighbors to help a child
without a helmet get one.
Columbus Public Health Safe Routes to School
Helmet Request Portal
If you spot a student riding their bike to or from
school without a helmet, they may be eligible for a free helmet courtesy of the
Safe Routes to School Program. You can fill out a request form here.
Before Riding, Check Out the Helmet
While it is always important to wear a helmet to bike and
roll safely – it is also important that the helmet has a CPSC certified label
and fits correctly on the head.
Does the helmet have a CPSC Certified label?
The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
decides the rules helmet-makers must follow to create a safe helmet. A
certified label in a helmet means these rules were followed when the helmet was
made. Look for a white or yellow sticker on the inside of the helmet.
Does the helmet fit correctly?
To check helmet fit, use the handy 2-V-1 trick
- The front of
the helmet should sit 2 fingers above the eyebrows
- The straps should form a
“V” shape just under the ear
- 1 finger should fit in the space between the
strap and the chin.