Nothing, absolutely nothing, is more important to us than making sure families stay safe! March is Brain Injury Awareness Month so it is the perfect time to discuss bicycle helmet safety. Over the years, a very successful fire prevention public relations campaign has conditioned all of us to replace our smoke alarm batteries with the fall end of Daylight Savings Time time change. We here at MomMeMatch believe that all cyclists should check their helmets every March at the start of Daylight Savings Time which coincidently falls smack dab in the middle of Brain Injury Awareness Month. This year Daylight Savings Time begins on Sunday March 13th, 2016. So mark your calendars today to remind you to perform a bicycle helmet safety check on each and every helmet you own! Make sure all helmets in the family are a match >> equally safe!
Bicycle Helmet Safety
So we researched helmet safety from multiple sources and here are just a few of the helmet safety facts we found most compelling:
- Helmets work! Bicycle helmet use has been estimated to reduce head injury risk by 85%
- To get the most protection out of your helmet, it needs to fit you well, and be properly adjusted every single time you bike, including a snug chin strap.
- As long as your helmet has a CPSC, ASTM or Snell Approved Sticker inside, you can rest assured the helmet was designed to meet today's standards for impact protection. Spending more might get you different padding, fancier styling or materials, but it doesn’t translate into advanced protection.
- After a fall, if the helmet took the impact of the fall, replace it even if you do not see a crack in it.
- You need to replace your helmet if you’re ever in a fall. It could have a defect that’s invisible, and if you fall on that same part of the helmet again, you won’t have the protection that you should.
- Avoid loaning your helmet to friends. We highly recommend passing on hand-me-down helmets since you will not know whether the helmet’s structural integrity and protective features have been compromised.
- Helmet Replacement
- Even if your helmet never takes a hit, it’s a good idea to replace it at least every three to five years (or sooner if you ride often), just because the helmet material can take a beating and degrade from all the sweat, heat, dust, and rain.
- Also, if the fit of your helmet becomes loose for any reason, the helmet should be replaced with one that fits properly. And clearly, please, please, please buy your kids new helmets as they grow. Trust me, it is worth every penny! Robbie is here today because he was wearing his brand new bicycle helmet when he crashed head first in our orchard. The helmet split in half but except for a concussion, he survived without any serious complications.
- Where to Buy a New Helmet
- If it is five years since you bought your helmet, or you need to replace your helmet because you fell or it is damaged in any way, or no longer fits properly, our first stop for anything and everything is Amazon. They have an excellent bicycle helmet selection at all price points and and helmets that are appropriate for all biking disciplines and all cyclist ages and sizes.
Make it Match!
No Comments