National Safe Kids Week is May 4-11.

This year, said Kosciusko County Safe Kids Chapter Coordinator Darlene Eherenman, "The emphasis is, 'Use your head, wear a helmet.' This year's national campaign is focused on bike helmet safety."

And for good reason.

New research unveiled recently by the National Safe Kids Campaign shows that 63 percent of children age 8-12 don't think they could suffer a brain injury while riding on wheels. Yet the reality is that nearly half - 47 percent - of children hospitalized for bike-related injuries suffer from a traumatic brain injury.

Reasons children cite for not wearing a helmet include: "Helmets are uncomfortable," "I don't think I need to wear a helmet for all of these activities," "I am older now and in more control when I ride," "I don't feel cool wearing a helmet" and "My parents don't make me."

Eherenman said, "As parents, we need to set an example and start (training our children) early" to wear helmets. By starting them when they are young, she said, they will get used to them by the time they are 6-12 years old.

Helmets, according to the National Safe Kids Campaign, can reduce the risk of brain injury by as much as 88 percent. However, it is estimated that only 15 to 25 percent of kids wear them.

Kids are at risk for bicycle-related injuries because they ride bicycles 50 percent more than the average bicyclist. Children are more likely to die from motor vehicle-related bicycle injuries in the summer and in the late afternoon than at any other times. They are four times more likely to be injured when riding in low light than in daylight and are more likely to be injured on residential streets close to home.

Children under 10 are more at risk and children 4 and under are more likely than older children to be injured around the home, such as in the driveway, garage or yard.

To prevent bicycle-related accidents, the National Safe Kids Campaign suggests the following prevention tips:

• A bicycle helmet is a necessity, not an accessory. Buy a bicycle helmet that meets or exceeds the safety standards developed by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Wear a bicycle helmet every time and everywhere you ride.

• Wear a bicycle helmet correctly. A bicycle helmet should fit comfortably and snugly, but not too tightly.

• Learn the rules of the road and obey all traffic laws.

• Cycling should be restricted to sidewalks and paths until a child is 10 and able to show how well he or she rides and observes the basic rules of the road. Adult supervision is essential until the traffic skills and judgment thresholds are reached by each child.

As a way to emphasize bicycle safety, the local Safe Kids chapter is holding a bike rodeo May 18 at the Warsaw Wal-Mart with the Warsaw, Milford and North Webster Kiwanis and the Multi-Township EMS. Preregistration starts at 8:30 a.m. and the bike rodeo starts at 9 a.m.

"It is a Riley Children's Hospital education course," said Eherenman.

The Kosciusko County Safe Kids Chapter helps work to reduce preventable injuries in the community through education, safety training events and advocacy at the local level. The chapter is part of a network of grassroots organizations dedicated to reducing the number one killer of all children 14 and under - preventable injuries.

For more information, call Eherenman at 269-2831 or visit the National Safe Kids Campaign Web site at www.safekids.org [[In-content Ad]]