State Senator Bob Peterson (R-Washington Court House) will join the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (Ohio AAP) on Monday, August 7, 2017 at 2 p.m. to host a bike helmet distribution and fitting at the Ross County Fair. Helmets will be distributed free of charge to those in attendance.Senator Peterson and Ohio AAP staff members will be available at the fairgrounds near the bandstand to provide information on bike helmet safety for children.
These efforts are aimed at providing children an opportunity to be fitted for helmets and all families will receive bike safety information to take home.“Bike safety is an important way we can protect children in our community and provide more of them an opportunity to ride safely,” said Peterson. “By distributing bike helmets and safety information in our community, we can teach our kids how important it is to wear a helmet when riding a bike and help them learn how to stay safe when they're enjoying our neighborhoods.”
Over 10,000 bike helmets have been distributed in Ohio this year as part of the Put a Lid on It! Bike Helmet Safety Awareness program, and 18 million people have been reached nationwide with the message of bike helmet safety.In 2010, 51,000 people were injured by not wearing a bike helmet. Apart from the automobiles, bicycles are tied to more childhood injuries than any other consumer product. A combination of efforts is necessary to effectively increase helmet usage rates among Ohio children, including raising awareness of the benefits, encouraging from adults and distributing bike helmets to Ohio children.
To learn more about Bike Helmet Safety Awareness Week and bike safety advocacy visit the "Put A Lid On It!" Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bikehelmetsafety or the chapter website at www.ohioaap.org.
The Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (Ohio AAP) promotes the health, safety and well-being of children and adolescents so they may reach their full potential. The Ohio AAP works to accomplish this by addressing the needs of children, their families, and their communities, and by supporting chapter members through advocacy, education, research, service, and improving the systems through which they deliver pediatric care.