I told the kids when they took their training wheels off I would get a bike. Well it has been since Spring and since I am on vacation this week, and I finally knew which bike I wanted we went to Wal Mart yesterday and bought a bike. When out at the van Elly says...Mom you forgot your helmet. So back into Wal Mart to get a very cute matching helmet. I get home and get it fitted and look like a dork. Wade said I looked better in that than the alternative casket. HA HA very funny I said. Well.... we take off for our first ride to the Bierman's. Before we get to the busy road (Like any are busy out this way) I told the kids to stop. Well as I ride behind I see Parker try to stop with his feet and then press only the front brake and yes... Straight over the handle bars into a double flip entwined with the bike. He hit head first on top of his head. My heart was pounding and I was sure we were headed for the hospital. Road rash on the legs and I would not let him look anywhere else, it took a few minutes for both our hearts to stop pounding and it is a site I will never forget. When we got home, it is a good thing he can not see his own back there would have been more tears. It is covered down one side with road rash. We got band aid up and Wade is going to remove his front brake, which actually broke in the fall and leave only the back break. In honor of this close call I thought I would include some statistics.
When toddlers and just learning to ride with training wheels our pediatrician said how important helmets are. I was amazed at how Parker's worked. I thought this cheap $10-$15 dollar piece of plastic is going to help? It does!!
*There are 85 million bicycle riders in the US.
*About 540,000 bicyclists visit emergency rooms with injuries every year. Of those, about 67,000 have head injuries, and 27,000 have injuries serious enough to be hospitalized.
*1 in 8 of the cyclists with reported injuries has a brain injury
*Bicycle crashes and injuries are under-reported, since the majority are not serious enough for emergency room visits. 44,000 cyclists were reported injured in traffic crashes in 2006.
*A very high percentage of cyclists' brain injuries can be prevented by a helmet, estimated at anywhere from 45 to 88 per cent
*Direct costs of cyclists' injuries due to not using helmets are estimated at $81 million each year.
Indirect costs of cyclists' injuries due to not using helmets are estimated at $2.3 billion each year.
Indirect costs of cyclists' injuries due to not using helmets are estimated at $2.3 billion each year.
*Helmets are cheap. The typical discount store price has risen from under $10 to about $20, but there are still models available for under $10 at major national retailers including Target and Wal-Mart.
statistics found at: http://www.helmets.org/stats.htm
WEAR A HELMET IT IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH.
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