Significance
According to the Centers for Disease Control, 500,000 people are injured each year while riding bicycles and require emergency room treatment. Of those, 59 percent are under 15.
Prevention/Solution
Helmets can reduce the severity of an accident and can at times prevent a serious injury in what would otherwise be a minor accident.
Laws
Twenty-two states have laws requiring children to wear helmets while bicycling. Some cities also require helmets even when their states do not. There is no federal law concerning helmets.
Warning
Helmets can prevent injuries, but they should not be worn while climbing trees or playing on playground equipment. There is a danger of the helmet getting struck and strangling a child.
Opposition
Opponents of bike helmet laws say helmets give a false sense of security. They advocate more education programs instead.
Misconceptions
In most states, bicyclists are considered vehicles and follow the same rules and traffic signs that automobiles do. Some cities allow children to ride on sidewalks, and in those cases, they are considered pedestrians.
Article Written By James Jordan
James Jordan has been a writer and photographer since 1980. He has worked for newspapers in Arkansas, Tennessee, South Carolina and Kansas, winning state press association awards for writing, photography and page design. In 1995 he received his master's in Christian education and completed two years of Ancient Greek at the graduate level. Jordan holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism.
