Children's Hospital's "Hard Head Patrol" Is Rounding Up Young Bikers To Make Sure They Have Properly Fitted Helmets

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Children's Hospital's "Hard Head Patrol" Is Rounding Up Young Bikers To Make Sure They Have Properly Fitted Helmets

Pittsburgh, Pa. - August 14, 2006 -

WHO: Hundreds of young children identified this summer by Children Hospital of Pittsburgh's "Hard Head Patrol."

WHAT: The Hard Head Patrol has scheduled two upcoming helmet fittings, where children who were identified earlier this summer will have the opportunity to be properly fitted for a free helmet.

The Hard Head Patrol is a new summer initiative of Children's that encourages children to wear a helmet when riding a bicycle, scooter, skateboard or anything else with wheels. The program is sponsored by Kohl's and is designed to reverse a troubling trend in the number of children injured in bicycle and scooter accidents who weren't wearing helmets.

The patrol is made up of hundreds of Children's volunteers who have been trained to properly fit children with protective helmets. This summer, the volunteers fanned out in the communities where they live, identifying children on bicycles, scooters and other wheeled devices. Kids already wearing a properly fitted helmet were rewarded with a coupon for a free kid's meal at Wendy's. Those not wearing a helmet were given a coupon for a free helmet redeemable at one of the Children's helmet fittings.

WHY: Each summer, hundreds of children pass through Children's Emergency Department with injuries sustained riding bicycles, scooters, skateboards and roller skates. In 2005, 139 children suffered serious bicycle-related injuries requiring admission to the hospital. Even more troubling is that fewer Children's patients admitted with bicycle-related injuries are wearing helmets. Helmet use by Children's patients decreased from 26 percent in 2000 to 20 percent in 2005.

Helmets reduce the risk of brain injury in a bike accident by 88 percent. Head injuries account for 80 percent of bike fatalities, and last year only one in five children injured on a bicycle who came to Children's wore a helmet.

WHEN/WHERE: Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2006, 12 - 3p.m., Schenley Plaza (across from the Cathedral of Learning), Forbes Avenue and Bigelow Boulevard, Oakland

Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2006, 12 - 3 p.m., West Park, Western Avenue, North Side

Learn more about the Hard Head Patrol.