Volume 5, Issue 3 March 2018
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
Bicycle Safety for Enthusiasts
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 trios a
Think about it. Before were year are made to
allowed to drive a car, we have to emergency rooms for
be a certain age and go through bicycle-related injuries
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 Sure Ride, 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
 ......................................................................................................... Helmets save lives!

Who Says Helmet Arent Cool

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.
Figure 1 Certainly not the children of Shasta, California! 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
ACCIDENTS from page 2 neighborhood to order bicycle helmets at the same time, you can help
Research indicates that 60% of turn this peer pressure from negative to positive. Suddenly, wearing a
all U.S. bicycle-car collisions occur bicycle helmet becomes the cool thing to do. With your support, your
kids can be cool, too!
among bicyclists between the ages
of 8 and 12. Children are permitted
to travel with only look both ways W HEN S HOULD A H ELMET B E R EPLACED ?
before you cross the street and
make sure you stop at all stop After a crash. Almost all bicycle helmets are designed to absorb
signs warnings. Obviously, these the impact of a crash so that your head is protected. This
warnings are not enough. 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
Sure Ride intended protection. See your owners manual for information
on how to achieve a correct fit.
Editor:
Terrence Morrow After three to five years. The Snell Memorial Foundation
Design and Layout: recommends that you replace your helmet after five years. Due
Sophie Brown to advances in technology and performance, we suggest your
Authors:
Ryan Steele helmet be evaluated after three years. Normal wear and tear due
Sherai McAvoy to drops and exposure gradually reduces a helmets strength and
Hannan Cantor protection capabilities.
Published quarterly by:
Sure Ride, Inc. When it isnt being worn. For whatever reason (not comfortable,
P.O. Box 252 too hot, too heavy, too old, doesnt match the new hat or coat,
Redding, CA 96002
800-555-RIDE etc.), it may be time for a new helmet. Manufacturers have made
Fax: 530-555-9068 dramatic improvements in style, weight, ventilation and cost
Copyright 2018 by: over the last few years.
Sure Ride, Inc.
All rights reserved. ~2 ~