The 2021 Put A Lid On It! Bike Helmet Safety Program will begin to accept applications very soon. 2020 was the 10 Year Anniversary of the program- but because of the many setbacks from COVID-19, the team thought this momentous occasion wasn’t properly celebrated. The program will be holding a “10 Year Anniversary Redo” in 2021 for a chance to properly celebrate the past achievements of the program which has donated over 65,000 free helmets to Ohio’s children!
Download the 2021 Bike Helmet Safety Toolkit here
Read about the 2020 bike helmet program and distribution event through our press release here!
Partners and Bike Helmet Safety Resources:
- Helmet Advocacy Training Slides
- Revised Ohio AAP Bike Education Postcard
- The League of American Bicyclists; Preview Quick Guides
- Oregon Department of Transportation (many materials, including brochures in other languages)
- ABC Quick Check Handout from NHTSA
- Safe Biking for Kids Coloring and Activity Book from Oregon DOT
- Sample Social and Traditional Media Outreach Messages
Wearing a helmet every time you ride a bike is a proven way to save lives!
Each year, the number of people injured by not wearing a bike helmet was 51,000 – enough people to fill nearly half of Ohio stadium! Simply providing a $10 helmet to a child can also take $41 out of our healthcare system.
Since 2011, the Ohio AAP has operated the Put a Lid on It! Campaign to promote Bike Helmet Safety Awareness. Millions of people have heard the message of helmet safety through the campaign and more than 57,000 helmets have been given out.
For the seventh year, the Ohio AAP is partnering with the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) to distribute up to 10,000 bike helmets to organizations around the state. ODOT will again allow the Ohio AAP to set up boxes with thousands of helmets at their facility near downtown Columbus to hand out to police departments, schools, and dozens of other organizations that had previously filled out an application for the program. These organizations will hold events during Bike Helmet Safety Awareness Month (May 2021) and throughout the summer. Please contact Olivia Simon for more information on becoming involved in Bike Helmet Safety with the Ohio AAP.
Bike Helmet Safety Testimonials
- Bailey’s Story: Bailey was just 13 years-old when he was killed after a bicycle accident while not wearing a helmet. Click here to this emotional story.
- Dylan’s Story: Dylan’s dad recounts his son’s accident after an emergency room physician told him a bike helmet likely saved his life. Click here to read it.
What Can You Do?
You can help take steps to encourage helmet use, even if you only have five minutes.
- Encourage your Ohio legislators to participate in Bike Helmet Safety Awareness Month and support legislation requiring helmet use by sending a letter, email or making a phone call. Find your representative here.
- Send a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. View a sample here.
- Follow us on Twitter at @OHPediatricians and retweet our messages to your followers
- Post messages on your Twitter feed and Facebook page before and during the month of May using the #PutALidOnIt or #BikeHelmetSafety hashtags.
- Send an email message to members and employees of your organization to inform them of Bike Helmet Safety Awareness Week! View a sample here.
Toolkits
- The 2021 Bike Helmet Safety Awareness Partner Toolkit is available here. Sample social media posts, handouts, and tools to promote Bike Helmet Safety Awareness Month!
- Sample General Assembly Toolkit
- Sample Ohio AAP Member Outreach Toolkit
Bike Helmet Safety Media Updates:
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“Put A Lid On It” campaign gives thousands of bike helmets to Ohio children – ABC 6 (Columbus)
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Thousands of Ohio children to receive bicycle helmets – NBC 4 (Columbus)
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Free Bike Helmets Being Distributed Throughout Ohio: Here’s Where To Get One – WVXU (Cincinnati)
If you have any questions about Bike Helmet Safety Awareness Week, or any of the Ohio AAP’s other injury prevention initiatives, please contact Olivia Simon at osimon@ohioaap.org or 614.846.6258.
If you would like to make a donation to the Ohio AAP to support Injury Prevention, or one of the Foundation Pillar’s other programs, click here.
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