Got a Brain? Wear a Helmet!

Written by Carol Beringer

It's now the Law!

The Calgary Injury Prevention Coalition (CIPC) and KIDSAFE Connection of the Calgary Health Region are delighted that the Government of Alberta has passed Bill 209 requiring all bike riders under 18 to wear a bike helmet. The government has taken a strong advocacy position on safety for children and teens in this province.

The CIPC and KIDSAFE Connection congratulate Calgary MLA Yvonne Fritz for introducing Bill 209 as a Private Members Bill.

Bike riding is one of the most popular recreational activities for both children and adults in Alberta. Unfortunately, biking is the leading cause of sport/recreational major trauma for children/teens and adults. These bike-related injuries take an enormous toll. In a one year period in Alberta:

•  6,430 people visited an emergency department for a biking injury
•  4,048 were children/teens less than 20 years of age
•  2,382 were adults 20 years & over

Research shows that one of the most effective ways to reduce injury is by wearing a bicycle helmet. Bicycle helmets reduce the risk of brain injury by 88%. Of those Alberta children who sustained a bike-related major trauma injury, 82% were not wearing a helmet at the time of their injury.

The most effective intervention to decrease the economic burden of injury and increase bike helmet wearing rates is a combination of all-age bike helmet legislation and community-based bike safety education. The CIPC and KIDSAFE Connection trust that the government will ensure that funding support for effective bike safety education will be considered an integral part of the bike helmet legislation model in Alberta.