As children return to school, National Childhood Injury Prevention week reminds us all that we can take small steps every day to ensure our children's safety. One of those steps is providing your child with safety equipment, like a helmet.
Life Saving Importance of Helmets
Wearing a helmet not only prevents serious injury, it can also save your child's life. According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the leading cause of death from sports injuries is traumatic brain injury. An estimated 1.6 to 3.8 million sports-related traumatic brain injuries occur each year.
Helmets are not only for protection in sports. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, bicycle helmets are 90 percent effective at preventing brain injuries, and universal bicycle helmet use could prevent nearly 45,000 head injuries each year. Helmets also save the lives of more than 1,800 motorcyclists each year. Helmets are the best way to protect our children from serious brain injuries.
When to Use a Helmet
Helmets are valuable precautionary equipment for sports and recreational activities. You should invest in an appropriate helmet for your child if they participate in contact youth sports or activities such as:
- Bicycling
- Skateboarding
- Football
- Baseball
- Hockey
- Motorcycle passenger
- Horseback riding
- Inline skating
- Water sports
- Winter sports
How to Pick the Right Helmet
Each sport or activity will have helmets specifically designed to withstand the impacts anticipated for that activity. For that reason, it is essential to invest in a helmet for each activity that your child participates in.
The key to getting the best protection from your helmet is selecting the right size. You want a helmet that fits snugly on your child's head. The helmet should not shift around on his or her head, but it should also not be so tight that it is uncomfortable. Most helmets also come with an adjustable chin strap. It is important to secure the helmet with the chin strap to ensure a completely snug fit that will absorb impacts.
Some helmets may come with optional face masks or shields. For sports like hockey or activities like motorcycle riding, these can provide extra protection for the face.
If your child has suffered severe head injuries because of a defective product or an accident caused by someone else, please call 1-(303) 431-1111 today or contact The Gilbert Law Group® to speak with one of our experienced personal injury attorneys.
