BIKE HELMETS ARE COOL
I can't help it. Every March, I fall victim to Spring fever. A little early, I know, but I am anxious for warm, sunny days to grace Chicago once again. If you are like me, you too cannot wait to come out of hibernation and enjoy life in and around the Chicagoland area. With that in mind, throughout this season, I plan to post a number of blogs addressing pedestrian and bicycle safety issues, from bicycle helmet use to issues involving pedestrians as well as pertinent statutes and much more. All of which are aimed at your safety.
To kick this series off, I will address one of my biggest concerns with bicycle safety: the use and nonuse of bike helmets. As a father to two young children, I require my children to wear helmets while riding their bicycles. There is no Illinois statute supporting my rule, but a number of towns, like Barrington, Illinois, mandate that children under 17 wear helmets while riding. (The City of Chicago requires that bike messengers wear helmets.) Required helmet use can be controversial. Some say advocates would be wise to focus their attention on proper bicycle use over mandated helmet use, especially in an urban setting. Supporters of bike helmet laws believe that helmet use can help prevent serious brain injury in the event of a collision or fall. In fact, the State of Illinois has reported that a bicycle helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by up to 85 percent in the event of a crash. When it comes to children, however, the effectiveness of the bike helmet in preventing injury depends on whether or not the helmet fits properly and complies with Consumer Product Safety Commission standards.
To prevent devastating injuries, drivers must keep their eyes on the lookout for bicyclists and pedestrians as more and more people venture out of the house as the weather warms up this Spring. No texting, emailing, facebooking or tweeting while driving please. Although the road may appear to be wide open one moment, a bicyclist or pedestrian can appear at any time. Illinois requires that drivers exercise due care to avoid colliding with anyone operating a bicycle, with a pedestrian, or with any other device propelled by human power. 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1. Please be alert and aware.
