ADVOCACY MORNING REPORT

(AKA CHRISSY’S GREATEST PET PEEVE)

Chrissy Raman
January 7, 2011
SOME DEPRESSING STATISTICS
 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Traffic
Safety Facts (2009)
 51,000 bicyclists injured on road in 2009; 630 died.
 74 were 14 or younger
 Bicyclist deaths represented 2% of traffic fatalities (1.5% in
Utah)
 Fatality rate between ages 5-15 in 2008 was 2.01 per
million; injury rate was 293 per million (fewer fatalities
than adults, but more injuries)
 Total yearly costs of $8 billion
INJURIES RELATED TO BIKE ACCIDENTS
 Head: skull fractures, concussions, TBI
 Traumatic Brain Injury: leading cause of morbidity (longterm) and
mortality in bike injuries
 Two thirds of bicycle-related fatalities (AAP Policy Statement)
 And oh so many others:
 Injuries to pelvic and abdominal structures (including handlebar and
straddle injuries)
 Fractures and contusions of just about anything

 Kids in bike-mounted seats and trailers are not immune to

these injuries
 Bike seats expose kids to adult-level forces
 Trailers do reduce impact of height alone
NOW FOR HELMET USE:
 National Safe Kids Campaign surveyed helmet use in
549 sites in 2003:
 41% of kids on wheels wore helmets
 More than 1/3 of them wore the helmets incorrectly
 Use was most consistent on bike paths and playgrounds, less
so at school and on residential streets
 Use also better when there was adult supervision, and
especially if the adults were ALSO wearing helmets.
 Teens are particularly bad: in 1997 YRBS, 75% reported
riding a bike in the past year; 3.8% reported always
wearing a helmet
ALL THAT BEING SAID…
 Wearing a helmet is one of the most cost-effective thing
families can do for injury prevention.
 Helmets provide 63-88% reduction in risk of head and
brain injuries in all age groups.
 Also can reduce facial injuries by 65%
 One person wearing a helmet 85% of the time can save
$440 over 5 years (average).
WHERE CAN OUR FAMILIES GET THEM?
 In Salt Lake City, see your friendly local Personal Injury
Attorney, Robert DeBry and Assoc.
 Toddler and child helmets $5, adult and youth helmets $8
(cash or check only)
 Just come into office location (SLC or St. George)

 Cheapest prices in retail:

 Target:
$19.99
 Walmart: $14.99
 Toys’R’Us: $17.99
A REMINDER:
 Helmets need to be certified by the US Consumer
Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
 If
certified, will have sticker on the inside
 Most commercial helmets available now will be certified.

 Helmets that have been in a crash that involve the head

hitting a hard surface (or if a fall resulted in marks on the
surface) MUST BE DISCARDED.
HOW TO FIT A BIKE HELMET
 Step 1: Put it on your head.
HOW TO FIT A BIKE HELMET
 Helmet should be level on head, should not wiggle side
to side or front to back.
 Eyes, Ears and Mouth rule
 Should be 2 finger widths above eyes
 Y strap should fit right below ears
 Chin strap should be snug against chin but kiddo should be
able to open mouth
 Safe Kids USA has a video clip describing above (
http://www.safekids.org/)
FUN RESOURCE
 Utah Department of Health Violence and Injury
Prevention Program
(http://health.utah.gov/vipp/bicycleSafety/overview.html
)
 Bikesafety (rules of the road)
 Helmet fit guidelines
 How to set up a Bicycle Skills Rodeo (yeeehaw!)
 Trailers available with equipment free for public use!
WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO?
 Know where families can get helmets for as little as
possible!
 Help families fit the helmets
 Always ask if they have helmets, but also whether they
wear it!
 Also ask if the parents wear it!
 Provide bike safety (general) counseling as possible
 Bike Rodeo through clinics?
 Legislative: advocate bike helmet enforcement,
subsidized helmet costs, bike path construction (or
dedicated bike lanes)
REFERENCES
 CDC: Bicycle Related Injuries:
www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/bikeinjuries.html
 Safe Kids USA: http://www.safekids.org/
 Utah Department of Health Violence and Injury Prevention Program:
http://health.utah.gov/vipp/bicycleSafety/overview.html
 Robert DeBry and Associates Children’s Bike Helmet Program:
http://www.robertdebry.com/bike-helmet.php
 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Traffic Safety Facts:
www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pubs/81115.pdf
 Up To Date Online: Prevention of Bicycle Injuries in Children.
 Johnson, MJ and FP Rivara. Bicycle Related Injuries. Am Fam
Physician. 2001 May 15;63(10):2007-2015.
 Toys’R’Us: www.toysrus.com
 Walmart: www.walmart.com
 Target: www.target.com