Bicycle Helmets

Each year in Canada over 60 children will die in bike incidents - most from head injuries. Over 5,000 children will be seriously injured.

Recommendations when buying a bicycle helmet:

• Choose a hard-shell helmet with polystyrene lining
• Purchase a helmet that fits the head well
• Hockey helmets will not protect cyclists
• White, yellow and orange are the best helmet colours for visibility in traffic

When you wear your helmet, wear it right!

Wrong	Right!	Wrong

Bicycle Helmets and Cycling

It is the law, according to the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, for children under 18 years of age to wear a bicycle helmet but there are many other reasons why it is important for children to wear a helmet. Wearing a bicycle helmet can reduce this risk of serious head injury by 85%. Each year in Canada over 60 children will die from bicycle injuries - most as the result of brain injury. Children need to know the rules about cycling and understand why it is necessary that they wear their helmet every time they ride their bike.

Helmets need to be CSA approved and worn properly in order to be effective. Children under four years of age can wear a different type of helmet that is ANSI or Snell approved.

Your Amazing Brain is a video and teaching kit about preventing spinal cord and head injuries in children. This resource is geared to eight year olds.