"I Got Caught" Helmet Safety Program

I have posted my feelings prior to this about the power of positive reinforcement with regard to shaping your child's behavior and it appears that many police departments are jumping on this bandwagon when it comes to getting children to wear bike helmets.  Many police departments around the world are providing children with certificates for treats from some of their favorite places if they are caught wearing their bike helmets while riding.  Dairy Queen, McDonald's,Cold Stone and Chic-fil-A to name a few. 

Having worked at schools where on occasion the resource officer could be found handing out citations for not wearing a helmet, I don't think that it had an effect on whether children wore their helmets or not.  It could have been ineffective because it happened only once or twice a year or because getting a piece of paper was not enough of a deterent for most of the children.  What I do know is that after a few days, the children at my school reverted back to their old habit of not wearing a helmet.

I couldn't find any statistics about how these positive reinforcement programs are working, but I just have to think that they are having an effect.  What child wouldn't wear a helmet if they had the possibility of getting an ice cream cone out of it.

I really hope these programs are working because during the summer months bike crashes are the leading cause of emergency room visits among children.  Having flipped over my own handlebars and landed on my head a few years ago, I will tell you that I was sure glad that I had a helmet on.  Other then a few cuts and scraps, I was able to brush myself off and get right back up on my bike.  This is something I don't think would have been possible without the helmet.

Note: that if you have been in a crash with your helmet on, it is probably time for a new helmet.  It was probably damaged in the crash and has out grown it's usefulness.

In the Good Old Summertime Series: Sunscreen, Bike Helmets and Other Sporting Equipment

As summer vacation approaches, I hope you and your children are fighting this nation obesity problem by spending more time outside.  If you and your children are spending more time outside doing things, encourage them to wear sunscreen and reapply it throughout the day.  Trust me on this one.  Having lived for Florida for  good portion of my adult life, I have learned this one the hard way.  People get sunburned even when they are not tanning.  Who could have guessed.  Save youself and your children some very uncomfortable and sleepless nights, wear sunscreen.  Learn from my mistake.

Head injuries can be life changing or life ending.  Falling from a bike can cause irreversible damage.  So no matter how hard heading you think you and your children are, wear a bike helmet when riding your bike, skateboarding or rollerblading.  Your children will resist this one but there are some things you can do to get them to wear it:  wear one yourself, start them out wearing them when they are young, and take their equipment away for a period of time if they are caught riding without a helmet.  It is that important.

After the long winter months, check all your sports equipment to make sure it is in top working order.  Air up those tires, make sure nothing is torn or broken and most important check those sporting shoes for creepy crawly things.

Update about the Importance of a Bike Helmet

Here is a story tailor-made for you if you are still on the fence about wearing a bike helmet. A young girl in Orlando fell off her bike right in front of a bus, and the back tire ran over the top of her head. Her helmet was broken into many pieces but she was home nursing just a few scrapes and scratches. Her father credits the helmet with the fact that he was not planning a funeral for his daughter this weekend.

Some Things to Consider When Picking Out a Bike Helmet

Having already covered the importance of wearing a bike helmet, here are a few tips to keep in mind when picking the right helmet for you and your child.
1) Make sure that the helmet has a CPSC or Snell sticker inside. These indicate that the helmet meets standards set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) or the Snell Memorial Foundation, a nonprofit group that tests helmet safety.
2) Make sure your child’s helmet fits correctly and can be adjusted. A bike helmet fits well if it: sits level on the head, isn’t tilted forward or backward; has strong, wide straps that fasten snugly under the chin; is fastened tight enough that no sudden pulling or twisting could move it around. You should be able to get help with the proper fit and adjustments at any bike store.
3) Helmet should be well ventilated
4) Pick bright colored helmet in order to make your child more visible to cars
5) Make sure that they have fastened the chin strap tight enough and that they are not wearing a hat underneath the helmet
6) Helmet should be replaced if your child has hit a hard surface when wearing it, it loses it capacity to absorb shock
7) Helmets should not be worn at the playground or when climbing because the strap could get caught on something and result in choking
8) This may be the most important tip of all. Having your child help you pick out the helmet may make them more inclined to wear it.