General Information
Bike helmets save lives and prevent injuries – in fact, in 2017, the number of people injured by not wearing a bike helmet was 51,000, enough people to fill Nationwide Arena in Columbus 2½ times! While Ohio currently has no statewide mandate on helmet usage, the National Transportation Safety Board is recommending all states enact laws requiring bicyclists to wear helmets to stem an increase in bicycle deaths on U.S. roadways. Through raising awareness, providing needed resources and education we can help prevent injuries, save lives and much more!
- In Ohio, estimates indicate that just 10-20% of children wear bike helmets
- 75% of bike-related fatalities would be prevented with a helmet
- Helmet use can reduce the risk of head injury by 85% and severe brain injury by 88%
- Apart from the automobile, bicycles are tied to more childhood injuries than any other consumer product, including trampolines, ladders, and swimming pools
- A $10 bike helmet saves the healthcare system $41 per child
- If 85% of the children injured in the U.S. wore helmets, we could save up to $256 million in just one year.
Staff & Leadership
- Sarah Denny, MD, FAAP – Content Expert
- Mike Gittelman, MD, FAAP – Content Expert
- Olivia Simon – Program Manager
History
Since 2011, the Ohio AAP has operated the Put a Lid on It program to promote bike helmet safety awareness. Millions of people have heard the message of helmet safety through the campaign and more than 93,000 helmets have been distributed to hundreds of organizations in every corner of the state. In 2023 alone, the Put a Lid on It program distributed more than 10,000 helmets to 155 organizations in 52 counties across Ohio!
Resources
