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Youth Helmet Safety

Photos of children getting bike helmets put on them

Wear a Helmet

Bicycling is a leading cause of head injury for children ages 14 and younger, leading to about 20,000 hospital emergency rooms visits a year in the United States. Many more are treated by family doctors or para-medical professionals in incidents that go unreported. In Indiana, about 9 out of 10 children who ride bicycles say they rarely or never wear a helmet, according to the Indiana Department of Health.

Helmets are designed to absorb the impact of crashes instead of the head and brain, so they should be worn whenever riding any type of equipment that moves you faster than your own feet, such as bicycles, scooters, skateboards and skates. In fact, studies show helmets can reduce the odds of severe head injuries in accidents by about 70 percent and fatal head injuries by 65 percent.

"The importance of Hoosiers — especially children — wearing a helmet while bicycling cannot be overstated," says IDHS State EMS Medical Director Dr. Michael Kaufmann. "Indiana's EMS providers see the outcome of children who have accidents on their bicycles and scooters, and there are a significant number of head injuries that occur, all of which are preventable."

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security encourages all Hoosiers to wear a helmet when riding a bicycle. Use the helmet safety guide below to learn how to find a good helmet and wear it properly.

Bicycle Helmet Facts and Tips

  • Crashes can happen anywhere. Many children do not wear helmets because they are not riding on the road, but serious injuries also occur away from vehicle traffic, and those injuries are most often head injuries. With this in mind, helmets should be worn regardless of where children ride.
  • Helmets are the most effective safety device available to reduce head injury and death from bicycle crashes. Parents should make sure children wear a helmet every time they ride.
  • Make sure helmets fit and children know how to put them on properly. Helmets should sit on top of the head in a level position and should not rock forward, backward or side to side. The helmet straps must always be buckled, but not too tightly.
  • Parents wearing helmets make a big difference! About 86 percent of parents who say they always wear a helmet say their children do too, but only 38 percent of children wear their helmet when their parents never do. Set a good example and wear a helmet on every ride.
  • Parents should check children's helmets regularly. Replace a helmet if it has been used in a crash or the foam has been cracked (even from dropping the helmet).

Source: Safe Kids Worldwide

Helmet Safety Guide