Bikes are a classic symbol of childhood recreation, transportation and health. It is estimated that more than 70 percent of children ages 5 to 14 (27.7 million) ride bicycles. Also, child participation in other wheel-based sports, such as skateboarding and inline skating, has grown exponentially over the past decade. At the same time, competitive wheeled sports have evolved and skateparks have appeared in communities across the country. Participation in wheeled sports helps children develop the habit of healthy physical activity, and also contributes to a sense of independence and responsibility. Unfortunately, bicycles are associated with more childhood injuries than any other consumer product except the automobile. In 2001, 134 children ages 14 and under died and nearly 314,600 were injured in bicycle crashes. Additionally, more than 176,000 children ages 5 to 14 are treated each year in hospital emergency rooms for injuries related to skateboards, scooters and skates. Head injury is the leading cause of wheeled sports-related death and the most important determinant of permanent disability after a crash. Head injuries account for more than 60 percent of bicycle-related deaths, more than two-thirds of bicycle-related hospital admissions and about one-third of hospital emergency room visits for bicycling injuries. Without proper protection, a fall of as little as two feet can result in a skull fracture or other traumatic brain injury. Helmets can avert the serious consequences of a seemingly typical childhood incident such as falling from a bike. When worn correctly and consistently, helmets are very effective at reducing the risk of bicycle-related death and injury and the severity of head injury when a crash occurs. Helmets have been shown to reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85 percent and the risk of brain injury by as much as 88 percent. The accuracy of recent national estimates of helmet use may be limited by the use of parental reports of child behaviour via telephone surveys. Studies have found that parental perceptions may not accurately portray patterns of helmet use because children often participate in wheel-based activities while out of their parents’ sight. Some published reports of helmet use among children, such as those in Texas, New York and the Pacific Northwest, have utilized more rigorous observational survey methods. However most observational studies have been limited by small sample sizes, geographical limitations to certain states or localities, or observations of helmet use by children on bicycles only. The SAFE KIDS objective in conducting this study was to determine through direct observation the level of helmet use among children ages 14 and under participating in a variety of wheel-based activities (e.g., biking, inline skating, scootering) and to examine differences in usage by variables such as age, gender, location and the presence of laws or regulations requiring helmet use. (Author/publisher)
Abstract