Transcript Helmet and Bike Safety

Helmet and Bike Safety
Wear Your Helmet … Wear it every time you ride!
... It’s the Law
A helmet gives you a real chance of walking away from a
collision. A helmet works by absorbing the force of the impact
and spreading it out over the whole helmet. The impact on your
head and your brain is reduced.
Wearing a helmet reduces how much force your skull must take
and how much your brain will crash around inside your skull if
you crash or hit your head.
Wearing a helmet can reduce your risk of
head injury up to 85%.
…continued

Your skull is hard (thick as three pennies stacked) and can
crack easily.

Your brain is floating in a sack of fluid inside your skull.
When you hit your head your brain crashes around in the
fluid.

Your brain can be bruised and swell
up. It can bleed. Hundreds of
connections between different parts
of your brain can be ripped apart.
Click on link below
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgqvTVr1Epw
Helmet Law of Ontario
Cyclists under 18 are required by law to wear an appropriate
bicycle helmet when riding a bike on roadways or sidewalks.
Law passed on October 1, 1995.
You can be fined ($80 – ON 2009) - by a police officer for failing
to abide by this law.
How do you Cycle?
To ride a bike safely you have to do two things at the same time
— Ride and Think. Believe it or not, your brain is a safety device,
just like your helmet and your bike brakes.
Safety is about making choices. To make good choices you need
to know about bike safety. That is how traffic works and how a
bike fits in.
…continued
Think about the following:
•
A bike is smaller, slower, lighter, and has less protection
than a car… but it is still a vehicle.
•
A cyclist needs enough space to avoid hazards.
•
If drivers SEE you riding your bike, then they can avoid hitting
you.
•
If drivers can PREDICT what you are going to do next, then they
can avoid hitting you.
•
The rules help drivers to see you and to know what you will do
next.
How do you Ride your bike?
Answer: Yes, No, or Sometimes – mentally to yourself
1.
Do I wear my Helmet every time I ride?
2.
Do I make sure my bike works properly?
3.
Do I replace my Helmet after a bad fall?
4.
Do I ride in a straight line on the right hand side of the
road, in the same direction as traffic?
5.
Do I stop at the edge of the road, stop at red lights and
stop signs, look to see if road is clear and look all ways?
… continued
5.
Do I obey the road signs? (Identify the following signs:
Yield, One Way, Railway Crossing and Stop)
6.
Do I always look over my shoulder behind me before I turn or move
out on the road?
7.
Do I always signal to let drivers know what I am doing next?
(Identify the hand signals: left, right, stop)
8.
Do I always look ahead down the road to see if there might be
danger ahead?
… continued
If you answered yes to all these questions, then
you have street sense.
If you answered “no” or “sometimes” to any of these
questions, think about them some more, or ask an
adult for help. Remember, safety is about making
safe choices.
Cycling safety can become a habit with a little
practice.
Make your Bike Legal!
The four things to make your bike legal required by law are:
1.
Helmet
(Cyclists under 18 must wear a helmet. Recommended for those over
18 years of age)
2.
Lights and Reflectors
(a white light mounted on the front of your bike and a red reflector on
the back at night)
3.
Bell or Horn
4.
Reflective Tape
(white reflective tape on the front forks, red reflective tape on the
rearstays)
Tips for Fitting a Helmet
1.
2.
Check the Fit – take it out of the packaging and try it on.
Make sure it is an approved bicycle helmet. Check for the
approved sticker from one of the testing agencies:






Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
Snell Memorial Foundation (SMF)
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
British Standards Institute (BSI)
Standards Association of Australia (SAA)
… continued
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Other protective helmets such as hockey helmets are not
acceptable. Only use Bike Helmets for cycling.
Check sizing – Helmets are made to fit different sized heads.
Remember the pads. The key to a good fit is in the pads that
come with the helmet.
Check the straps – make sure they are adjustable and expand
& clip into place. Straps should lay flat on face when
secured.
Don’t buy a used helmet.
… continued
8.
Replace your helmet if:
 it lacks a certified safety standard sticker
 it is not adjustable to fit your head correctly
 it has been involved in a crash
 it has been purchased in the 70’s
 you hate it
Get help to adjust your helmet.
No caps or hair obstructions (i.e. ponytails).
Thank you
Algoma Public Health