TAB's Helmet Hero Program
Join TAB and Safe Kids in underwriting helmets for kids in the greater Toledo area through programs such as Safety City in Toleodo. Funds are needed to defray the cost of providing helmets at these events. Safe Kids, through an agreement with Bell Sports, is able to purchase helmets in sizes from toddler through adult for $7.50. So what is TAB's Helmet Hero Program? -- TAB will be making a donation to the Safe Kids Coalition to help underwrite the costs of providing bicycle helmets to kids. But TAB is also asking its membership to augment its donation through individual action. This is how it will work:
	Make a donation for any amount in increments of $7.50
	Each helmet you buy (Each $7.50 increment) will be an entry into a raffle for neat bicycle prizes (yet to be determined, but probably stuff from Specialized - look to Yahoo groups and the newsletter for more details as they develop)
	Donations are tax deductable (of course - we must make the caveat, consult your tax advisor). You will receive a receipt by mail.
	Your donation could possibly result in saving a life (see article below)
	At the end of August, the raffle winner(s) will be selected by a random number generator.
For more information, contact Sue (Helmet Hero Head Honcho) at ssrsammy@hotmail.com
Bicycles are associated with more childhood injuries than any other consumer product except the automobile. More than 70% of children age 5-14 ride bicycles—equal to 27.7 million children in the United States and 1.7 million Ohio children. More children ages 5 to 14 are seen in hospital emergency rooms for injuries related to biking than any other sport. In 2003, more than 285,592 children ages 14 and under were treated in hospital emergency rooms across the country for bicycle-related injuries. Head injury is the leading cause of death in bicycle crashes and is the most important determinant of bicycle-related death and permanent disability. Head injuries account for more than 60% of bicycle-related deaths, more than two-thirds of bicycle-related hospital admissions and about one-third of hospital emergency room visit for bicycling injuries. The bicyclist fatality rate for this age group in 2002 was 3.2 per million people—about 40% higher than the rate for all bicyclists. Children ages 10-14, especially males, have the highest death rate of all ages from bicycle-related head injury; bicycle deaths per million people are highest among 14 year old males.
The single most effective safety device available to reduce head injury and death from bicycle crashes is a properly fitted helmet. Every dollar spent on a bike helmet saves society $30 in direct medical costs and other costs to society. If 85% of all child cyclists wore helmets in one year, the lifetime medical cost savings could total between $109 and $142 million. Bicycle helmets have been shown to reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85% and the risk of brain injury by as much as 88 %. It is estimated that 75 % of fatal head injuries among child bicyclist could be prevented with a bicycle helmet. Non-helmeted riders are 14 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than helmeted riders; 85% of bicyclists killed in 2002 reportedly were not wearing helmets. Unfortunately, national estimates report that bicycle helmet use among child bicyclists ranges only from 15-25%; helmet use by children of all ages is lowest among children ages 11 to 14 (11%). According to the 2002 Behavioral Risk Factor Survey for Lucas County, only 16% of children are wearing bicycle helmets.
In light of this research, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee of Safe Kids is working to reduce the burden of bicycle-related injuries by conducting several large bike rodeos each year with volunteer bike advocates from our community. Together with our partners, we are able to conduct bicycle rodeos, provide education in the schools, and provide helmets as well as proper fitting inspections for community residents. Safe Kids distributed over 2,000 helmets to students at bike rodeos, Safety City/Town, and other events in 2007. A helmet safety education program in area schools reaches over 5,000 local kindergarten students at 197 schools each spring. Our “Fit, Click & Go” mobile education program, a 27-foot trailer outfitted with the supplies necessary for a bicycle rodeo and helmet fitting station, allows us to travel to locations where children are gathered. Ten thousand “You’ve Been Caught” reward coupons were distributed for safe riding behavior in 2007, and more than 13,400 children were educated on bicycle safety at rodeos and other bike safety events.
Safe Kids, through an agreement with Bell Sports, is able to purchase helmets in sizes from toddler through adult for $7.50. The helmets meet the CPSC standards and feature popular characters and child-friendly colors. Children are more likely to wear helmets when they are allowed to choose a design that they like. We provide helmets at our cost or below at all of our bicycle events and at venues such as the Safety City programs in Toledo and surrounding areas. At Toledo Safety City alone, nearly 1,000 children will be educated about bicycle safety this summer. Funds are needed to defray the cost of providing helmets at these events.