Promoting bicycle helmets: a new focus for injury prevention

Bicycle accidents cause many serious injuries and deaths in the United States, often as a result of head injury in riders not wearing helmets. Helmets reduce the incidence of head injury, and an aggressive safety education campaign has been shown to increase the number of children wearing helmets while riding. Such a campaign has been initiated in the Central Indiana area. The campaign is designed to educate families and to promote bicycle helmet use among children and their parents. Suggestions are given on how physicians can help educate, distribute information and encourage bicycle helmet use through their contact with families. A resource list is included so these materials can be easily obtained. Ultimately, we hope such a program will increase helmet use and consequently reduce morbidity and mortality from head injury in Indiana's children.