Kids + Bike Helmets = Safe Fun

Framingham/Natick, MA – June 15, 2006 – Massachusetts law requires anyone under the age of 16 to wear a bike helmet when cycling … and with good reason. Bike helmets save lives and limit injury.  In fact, according to a study by the New England Journal of Medicine, wearing a helmet while biking can reduce the risk of head injury by 85 percent and the risk of brain injury by 88 percent.

“Brain and head injuries can have devastating lifelong effects, especially for children whose brains are still developing,” says Dr. Jerry Wortzman, Chairman of Pediatrics at MetroWest Medical Center.   “A traumatic brain injury may temporarily or permanently impair cognitive, physical, psychosocial, and emotional functioning and can even lead to death. Wearing a helmet significantly reduces the chance of serious brain injury by absorbing the impact that could strike the skull and brain during a fall.”

Bicycle helmets are now more comfortable, stylish, and protective than ever before. MetroWest Medical Center urges riders of all ages to make a regular habit of wearing a helmet when riding a bike.  No one can predict when a fall will happen, so it is essential for cyclists to wear a helmet on every ride, no matter how short. 

MetroWest Medical Center offers the following tips for buying and wearing bike helmets:

·      Under Massachusetts Law, bike helmets must meet specific requirements. Look for a seal of approval from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) or the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Certification denotes that the helmet has been tested to withstand certain levels of impact to offer the best protection available.

·      The bike helmet should fit snugly, although not uncomfortably tight. It should not move easily front to back or side to side.

·      The helmet should sit level on the top of the head, not tilted back or pulled too low over the forehead.

·      The chinstrap should always be securely fastened. It should feel snug when the cyclist’s mouth is completely open.

·      Helmets should have adequate ventilation to allow for airflow to the head.

·      Parents should establish a strict policy for their children’s safety. “No helmet, no riding.”

·     The color of the helmet should help increase visibility by motorists and other cyclists.

·     Any helmet worn in a bike accident should be replaced, even if there is no visible damage.

MetroWest Medical Center is a full-service community teaching hospital system dedicated to meeting the health care needs of the MetroWest region of Massachusetts by providing advanced care with a community touch. The 424-bed health care system — the largest between Worcester and Boston — includes Framingham Union Hospital, Leonard Morse Hospital in Natick, MetroWest HomeCare and Hospice, and The MetroWest Wellness Center, an outpatient diagnostic imaging, rehabilitation, and fitness center.