Safety for Kids’ Sake!

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability among children.  Each year, approximately 200,000 children in the U.S. are hospitalized due to brain injuries sustained on bicycles, skateboards, scooters and skates.  A properly worn helmet is the single most effective safety device available to reduce brain injury and death by as much as 88 percent, according to former U. S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, MD.  Still, estimates show that only 15 to 25 percent of children actually wear helmets, despite our state’s mandatory helmet law, which requires anyone under age 17 to wear one while biking, skating and participating in other wheeled activities.  And this figure does not include the children who are injured as the result of being unsecured passengers in motor vehicle accidents.

The Brain Injury Association of NJ (BIANJ) also has some fact sheets and prevention activities that revolve around bicycle safety and pedestrian and transportation safety (http://www.bianj.org/prevention-education).  You can access their brochures online through this link.

The “Think Positive” helmet program http://www.bianj.org/think-positive-a-helmet-safety-reward-program
is run by the Brain Injury Association of New Jersey.  This program provides positive incentives to children who are wearing helmets and abiding by traffic laws while operating a bicycle, skateboard, or scooter.  Such incentives include coupons for free pizza at local pizzerias, Best Buy gift certificates and other small token items that reinforce safe behavior.