Stay Safe and Wear Helmets

The necessity of helmets while riding a motor vehicle or even a bike cannot be understated. That’s the message Donna Summerville wants to get across to families this summer.

Donna Summerville is the president of the Head Injury Association of Fort Erie, and as part of Brain Injury Awareness Month she is encouraging everyone to stay safe by wearing a helmet.

By law, all cyclists under the age of majority must wear helmets when operating a bicycle, riding a skateboard or scooter, or rollerblading. But helmets are not only for children – adults would do well to protect themselves by wearing a helmet, particularly if they are operating a motor vehicle such as an ATV or motorcycle.

Sommerville concedes that “Helmets aren’t 100% but they are the best thing we have. They can save lives and prevent concussions.”
We talked about the effectiveness of helmets in preventing brain trauma in one of our previous blog posts. However, what many people do not realize is that it is important to always check to see if their helmets are still functional. Helmets have an expiry date and should be replaced beyond that date. According to governmental regulation, each helmet should have a sticker on the inside of it that states the date a helmet was produced to remind people when it’s time to get a new one. When the helmet becomes faded or the foam starts to crack, it’s a sign that it’s time to get a new one.

Because of the cost of care and the wide-ranging effects of head injuries, they often spark personal injury claims. The effects of the injury may not be discovered until sometime after the incident. If you or someone you know has suffered from head trauma, do not hesitate to give one of our brain injury lawyers a call.

Source: https://www.forterietimes.ca/2015/06/02/organization-reminds-public-to-stay-safe-and-wear-helmets